by Ian Marshall

The performance of the day belonged to Rachel Sung.

Occupying the no.2 seeded position, at the final hurdle, she withstood a spirited fightback to beat colleague, Amy Wang, the top seed, eventually succeeding in a titanic seventh game (11-6, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 5-11, 16-14).

Earlier at the semi-final stage, Rachel Sung had overcome Mexico’s Clio Barcenas, the no.4 seed (11-8, 11-3, 11-7, 11-9); Amy Wang had accounted for Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi, the no.3 seed (11-4, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9).

Similar scenario

Drama, it was the same for Angel Naranjo, the top seed, but one round earlier.

He needed the full seven games to overcome Canada’s Edward Ly, the no.4 seed, emerging successful by the very narrowest of decisions (11-4, 11-4, 8-11, 10-12, 4-11, 11-6, 12-10).

A place in the final reserved, he caused Canada further pain by overcoming Terence Yeung, the no.5 seed (11-7, 8-11, 14-12, 14-12, 7-11, 11-4). In the counterpart semi-final, Terence Yeung had ousted Peru’s Carlos Fernandez, the no.2 seed (14-12, 11-5, 11-7, 15-17, 11-5).

Success for Mexico

Success for Puerto Rico and the United States, in the under 19 age group there was also success for Mexico.

Dario Arce and Clio Barcenas were the players in form.

Together they won the mixed doubles accounting for Canada’s Edward Ly and Clio Barcenas in the final (13-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4); apart Dario Arce partnered  Juan Jesus Gomez to boys’ doubles gold, Clio Barcenas joined forces with Arantxa Cossio to gain girls’ doubles success.

In the title deciding contests, Dario Arce and Juan Jesus Gomez beat Brazil’s Kenzo Carmo and Diogo Silva (7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6); Clio Barcenas and Arantxa Cossio accounted for Joanna Sung and Rachel Sung (5-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8).

A total of 32 players competed in each of boys’ and girls’ events in the under 19 age group.