by Ian Marshall

Angie Tan and Amy Wang, the top seeds, experienced defeat in their opening under 19 girls’ doubles encounter, in the second round they were beaten by Puerto Rico’s Fabiola Diaz and Alondra Rodriguez, the no.11 seeds (4-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10).

Good form from the Puerto Ricans who continued their winning ways; at the quarter-final stage they ousted Ecuador’s Mylena Plaza and Ajondra Vientimilla, the no.10 seeds (11-6, 11-7, 11-7).

At the semi-final stage Fabiola Diaz and Alondra Rodriguez oppose Mexico’s Clio Barcenas and Arantxa Cossio, the no.3 seeds; in the opposite half of the draw, Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi and Laura Watanabe, the no.2 seeds, face Joanna Sung and Rachel Sung of the United States.

Could family rivalry be reignited in the final? Fabiola Diaz is the younger sister of Adriana Diaz, Giula Takahashi the younger sister of Bruna Takahashi; both elder sisters have met on innumerable occasions.

One upset en route to the under 19 girls’ doubles semi-finals, it was the same for the boys.

Mexico’s Dario Arce and Juan Jesus Gomez emerged the surprise pair. The no.6 seeds, at the quarter-final stage they ousted Canada’s David Xu and Terence Yeung, the no.4 seeds (8-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-9). In the semi-final, they now face Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo and Jabdiel Torres, the top seeds.

Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw Peru’s Carlos Fernandez and Adrian Rubinos, the no.2 seeds, oppose Brazil’s Kenzo Carmo and Diogo Silva, the no.3 seeds.

Attention now turns to the penultimate day of action, Friday 17th September, when at the close of the day, in the under 19 age group, the boys’ doubles and girls’ doubles finalists will be known, as well as the semi-finalists in the boys’ singles, girls’ singles and mixed doubles.