by Simon Daish
Jorge Campos and Daniela Fonseca Carrazana were the only pair to upset the seeding list, with the no.10 seeds earning an impressive 4-1 victory over the duo seeded three positions higher in Paraguay’s Marcelo Aguirre and Leyla Gomez (11-7, 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7).
The remaining Round of 16 fixtures played out according to seeding with all four decided in straight games.
Chile’s Juan Lamadrid and Paulina Vega looked more than comfortable at the table with the no.5 seeds powering past Colombian no.11 seeds Alexander Echavarria and Paula Medina. A commanding display from the Chileans from start to finish, in the end they dropped a combined total of just 15 points across the four games (11-5, 11-4, 11-3, 11-3).
Horacio Cifuentes and Camila Arguelles are also through to the quarter-finals, much to the delight of the host nation! Standing opposite Guatemala’s Hector Gatica and Mabelyn Enriquez, the third seeded combination from Argentina endured a tight opening game but grew from strength to strength as the match progressed (11-8, 11-5, 11-2, 11-6).
Fresh from securing his men’s singles ticket to the Tokyo Games, Alberto Miño is now looking to replicate the feat in the mixed doubles event and enjoyed the perfect start alongside Nathaly Paredes: the no.6 seeds from Ecuador saw off Guyana’s Shemar Britton and Chelsea Edghill in convincing fashion (11-9, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9).
Dominican Republic’s Wu Jiaji and Eva Brito were the other pair to advance after receiving a walkover win against Venezuela’s Cecilio Correa and Neridee Nino.
The mixed doubles action resumes from 14.00 local time with four quarter-final contests to be settled.
