by Ian Marshall
In their opening match of the campaign, they accounted for Puerto Rico’s Steven Moreno and Enrique Torres, the top seeds and winners of the under 13 boys’ team title two days earlier; victory was secured in an intensely fought full distance five games contest (5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6).
A quarter-final place reserved, they overcame the Dominican Republic’s Daniel del Rosario and Alexander Tejada (10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5) to reserve their place in the penultimate round.
They now meet He Xianyo and Krish Gandhi of the United States; in the opposite half of the draw Brazil’s Davi Fujii and Hamilton Yamane confront Peru’s Luciano Noriega and Diego Takeda.
Same for girls
Defeat for the under 13 boys’ team champions, it was the same for the counterpart girls winners.
Lin Yishiuan and Amber Lu of the United States experienced a second round reverse at the hands of Brazil’s Lana Ozeki and Ani Tadima (11-9, 11-6, 11-8).
Alas for the Brazilians the euphoria was short-lived; one round later, the quarter-finals, they were beaten by Colombia’s Luciana Cadavid and Mariana Rodriguez (11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6).
Luciana Cadavid and Mariana Rodriguez now meet Peru’s Natzumi Aquije and Noelia Colque; in the adjacent half of the draw Aria Shi and Many Yu of the United States oppose the Dominican Republic’s Arianna Estrella and Dafne Soza.
Notably, Aria Shi and Many Yu, runners up in the under 13 girls’ team event, recorded a second round win against Ecuador’s Nohelia Ortiz and Anie Rubio, the top seeds (12-10, 15-13, 11-9), prior to ousting Colombia’s Sofia Pinzon and Valentina Rodriguez (11-7, 11-9, 14-12).
Quarter-final defeat for Colombians
Somewhat surprise defeats for the team winners in the under 13 age group category, it was the same in the under 11 boys’ doubles.
Colombia’s Emanuel Otalvaro and Juan Pineros departed at the quarter-final stage beaten by Maxim Mouchinski and Brian Wu of the United States (11-6, 11-4, 5-11, 12-10); a contest that was very much a reversal of when the pairs had met in the team final. The Colombians had recorded an overall 3-1 win, notably in the doubles prevailing in straight games (12-10, 11-7, 14-12).
Disappointment for Emanuel Otalvaro and Juan Pineros but Colombian hopes remain alive.
Samuel Pachero and Nicolas Saenz duly advanced to the semi-finals and now meet Kyler Chen and Kef Noorani, also from the United States. In the opposite half of the draw, Maxim Mouchinski and Brian Wu confront Guatemala’s Joseph Ruiz and Diego Suchite.
Finalists prevail
Surprise outcomes, not in the under 11 girls’ doubles where the United States pairs that contested the team final, Geetha Krishna and Tashiya Piyadasa beating Abigail Yu and Tiana Piyadasa, both reached the penultimate round.
Geetha Krishna and Tashiya Piyadasa now face Ecuador’s Camila Abril and Maria Abril, Abigail Yu and Tiana Piyadasa oppose Peru’s Maria Pun and Rosita Perales.
United States
The United States prominent, it is the same in the mixed doubles, the early rounds completed, only one pair experienced defeat. In the under 13 age group, Mu Du and Mandy Yu lost to Ecuador’s Boris Villavicencio and Anie Rubio (11-3, 11-8, 11-9).
Otherwise, it was success. In the same age group Krish Gandhi and Amber Liu progressed as did Stanley Hsu and Lin Yishiuan alongside He Xinyao and Aria Shu.
Likewise, in the under 11 mixed doubles, Kef Noorani and Tashiya Piyadasa enjoyed early success, a situation that applied also to Kyler Chen and Tiana Piyadasa, Maxim Mouchinski and Abigail Yu, as well as to Brian Wu and Geetha Krishna.
Earlier stages completed, at the close of play on Saturday 23rd October, the mixed doubles finalists in both age groups will be known, as will the semi-finalists in the boys’ singles and girls’ singles events.
