by Ian Marshall
The 18 year old Canadian seized the opportunity presented.
At the quarter-final stage of play, he beat Chile’s Eusebio Vos by the very narrowest of decisions (11-8, 12-14, 8-11, 12-10, 3-11, 15-13, 12-10); one round earlier, Eusebio Vos having accounted for Venezuela’s Angelo Millan (8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 11-8), the first round winner in opposition to Brazil’s Kenzo Carmo, the no.3 seed (8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7).
Success for Terence Yeung, for Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo, Peru’s Carlos Fernandez and Edward Ly, like Terence Yeung from Canada, it was progress to the penultimate round as predicted.
Testing times
However, life was not without difficulties; in the round of the last eight, Angel Naranjo, the top seed, needed the full seven games to beat Mexico’s Dario Arce (11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 10-12, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8), as did Carlos Fernandez, the no.2 seed, when facing Puerto Rico’s Jabdiel Torres (7-11, 11-5, 7-11, 12-10, 12-10).
Somewhat differently for Edward Ly, life was less exacting; at the quarter-final stage, he accounted for Peru’s Adrian Rubinos in straight games (11-4, 11-7, 11-4, 11-5).Semi-Finals
Semi-Finals
Leonardo Kenzo (BRA) v Eduardo Darley (DOM)
Derek Valentin (PUR) v Nandan Naresh (USA)
Top Four secure places
Three of the top four names in the boys’ event through to the penultimate round, in the girls’ singles, it was all four.
Amy Wang and Rachel Sung of the United States, the respective top two seeds advanced as did Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi, the no.3 seed and Mexico’s Clio Barcenas, the no.4 seed.
Similar to the boys’ singles, hard fought contests prevailed in the quarter-finals, the player to experience the most tense moments being Guilia Takahashi. She was stretched to the very limit by Puerto Rico’s Brianna Burgos (12-10, 14-12, 14-16, 1-11, 6-11, 12-10).
Meanwhile, Clio Barcenas needed six games to overcome Mexico’s Valentina Rios (11-4, 6-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-2, 11-7); Rachel Sung, five games to end the hopes of Laura Watanabe, like Giulia Takahashi from Brazil (11-8, 11-13, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3).
Testing encounters, for Amy Wang, rather more comfortable; she beat Puerto Rico’s Fabiola Diaz in straight games (11-8, 11-4, 11-7, 11-4).
Semi-Finals
Amy Wang (USA) v Giulia Takhashi (BRA)
Clio Barcenas (MEX) v Rachel Sung (USA)
Mexico Evidemt
The semi-finalists known in the boys’ singles and girls’ singles events, in the boys’ doubles and girls’ doubles, the finalists were realised, Mexico very much to the fore.
Dario Arce and Juan Jesus Gomez beat Angel Naranjo and Jabdiel Torres (13-11, 9-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8) to reach the boys’ doubles final; in the counterpart girls’ event, Clio Barcenas and Arantxa Cossio ended the adventures of Puerto Rico’s Fabiola Diaz and Arantxa Cossio (11-8, 11-6, 11-2).
Awaiting in the final for Dario Arce and Juan Jesus Gomez is the Brazilian combination of Kenzo Carmo and Diogo Silva, the semi-final winners against Peru’s Carlos Fernandez and Adrian Rubinos (11-8, 11-7, 11-5).
For Clio Barcenas and Arantxa Cossio, it is the United States combination of Joanna Sung and Rachel Sung. They booked their place in the final courtesy of success against Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi and Laura Watanabe (11-9, 7-11, 11-2, 5-11, 11-5).
Play in Santo Domingo concludes on Saturday 18th September.
