by Ian Marshall, Editor

Moreover, win or lose, the finalists have reserved places in the forthcoming 2019 World Junior Championships to be staged in Bangkok, Thailand in late November and early December.

One more place in each competition is available. The losing quarter-finals in each half of the draw compete against each other; the winners then play the losing semi-finalists from the opposite half of the draw. The winners of that contest gains the third Bangkok place.

11.00 Junior Girls’ Team: Quarter-Finals

Success for the host nation; Monica Muñoz, Clio Barcenas and Anais de Leon Chapa, the no.10 seeds, upset the order of merit. They recorded a 3-2 win against the no.10 seeds, Ecuador’s Nathaly Paredes, Mylena Plaza and Alejandra Veintimillia Vergara.

Nathaly Paredes beat both Monica Muñoz (11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 14-12) and Clio Barcenas (11-2, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7) to maintain her unbeaten record but that was the sum total of the visitor’s success.

Victory contrary to expectations for Mexico, it was as per expectations for the no.4 seeds Chile. Represented by Valentina Rios, Jerusalen Flores and Macarena Montecino a 3-1 win was secured in opposition to the no.5 seeds, the Brazilian combination of Giulia Takahashi, Livia Lima and Laura Watanabe.

Mainstay of the win was Valentina Rios; she beat both Giulia Takahashi (11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9) and Livia Lima (11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 11-8).

14.30 Junior Boys’ Team: Quarter-Finals

Canada, the no.5 seeds, fielding Edward Ly, Terence Yeung and Tommy Xu caused the upset of the round. They recorded a 3-2 win in opposition to the no.3 seeds, the Brazilian trio comprising Rafael Torino, Guilherme Teodoro and Eduardo Tomoike.

Star of the show was Terence Yeung, in the second match of the fixture he beat Guilherme Teodoro (11-9, 11-7, 11-6), before in the vital concluding match of the engagement recovering from a 3-5 deficit in the final game against Rafael Torino (7-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8) to bring his colleagues to their feet in jubilation.

“I always had chances on my serve but receiving when I tried to flick the return of service I made mistakes; down 3-5 in the fifth I decided to push the return, I levelled at 5-all. I felt confident in the rallies but most important today I was mentally strong, I kept my focus.” Terence Yeung

Success against the odds for Canada; for the United States and Chile, the respective top two seeds, as well as for Argentina, the no.4 seeds, it was progress as status advised.

Selecting Nikhil Kumar, Sharon Alguetti and Michael Minh Tran, the United States posted a 3-0 win in opposition the no.8 seeds, Costa Rica’s Daniel Araya, Alfredo Sanchez and Bryan Solis.

A comprehensive margin of victory; for Argentina’s Santiago Lorenzo, Matias Velarde and Matias Guadalupe, life was slightly more testing. A 3-1 win was the outcome against Peru’s Carlos Fernandez, Adolfo Cucho and Felipe Duffoo; the same margin of success being the verdict for Chile’s Nicolas Burgos, Andres Martinez and Jorge Paredes in opposition to Puerto Rico’s Gabriel Perez, Angel Naranjo and Jabdiel Torres.

16.30 Junior Girls’ Team: Semi-Finals

Selecting Crystal Wang, Amy Wang and Rachel Sung, the top seeds, the United States imposed their authority on proceedings; facing the no.10 seeds, the Mexican trio formed by Clio Barcenas, Monica Muñoz and Anais de Leon, a 3-0 win was recorded.

Soon after there was further success for North America, rather more hard earned, the no.2 seeds, Canada’s Ivy Liao, Joyce Xu and Benita Zhou needed the full five matches to halt the progress of the no.4 seeds, the Chilean combination of Jerusalen Flores, Valentina Rios and Macarena Montecino.

Mainstay of the Canadian victory was Joyce Xu, she beat both Valentina Rios (11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5) and in the vital fifth and deciding match of the contest, Jerusalen Flores (11-8, 11-8, 11-6).

“I was well prepared and I felt confident; sometimes there being a lot of noise in the hall, I found it difficult to maintain my focus. Today as the matches progressed my feeling for the ball improved; sometimes I rushed, my coach had to calm me down.” Joyce Xu

16.30 Junior Boys’ Team: Semi-Finals

Success the United States and Chile but it was hard earned success.

A 3-1 margin of victory was the outcome for the Chilean trio comprising Nicolas Burgos, Andres Martinez and Jorge Paredes in opposition to Canada’s Terence Yeung, Edward Ly and Edison Huang; the guiding hand being Nicolas Burgos, he accounted for both Terence Yeung (13-11, 11-7, 11-6) and Edward Ly (12-10, 11-6, 14-12).

“I’m very proud of the team, we’ve worked hard. We started in the number two position in the seeding and I think that helped make the group and the first round more comfortable for us.” Nicolas Burgos

“Personally I am very happy because I have never been given such an opportunity. My thanks to the technical staff who have helped us reach a Pan-American final.” Jorge Paredes

Tense times for Chile, the times were even more tense for the United States trio comprising Nikhil Kumar, Sharon Alguetti and Victor Liu, they were extended the full five match distance by Argentina’s Santiago Lorenzo, Matias Velarde and Matias Guadalupe. The player to cause the top seeds problems was Santiago Lorenzo; he accounted for both Nikhil Kumar (13-11, 14-12, 11-2) and Sharon Alguetti (11-4, 11-5, 11-4).

Hero of the hour for the Stars and Stripes was Nikhil Kumar; in the vital fifth match of the fixture he overcame Matias Velarde (11-8, 11-6, 13-11).

“I was nervous at the start of the match being 2-2 but I was determined to win for the team. I think service and receive was the key; also playing the first attack with heavy top spin was crucial.” Nikhil Kumar

18.30 Junior Boys’ Team: Quarter-Final Play Off

Keeping hopes of securing third place alive, Brazil represented by Guilherme Teodoro, Rafael Torino and Eduardo Tomoike recorded a 3-1 win in opposition to Puerto Rico’s Gabriel Perez, Angel Naranjo and Jabdiel Torres.

At the same time Peru’s Felipe Duffoo, Jhon Loli and Carlos Fernandez secured a 3-0 success against Costa Rica’s José Perez, Daniel Araya and Alfredo Sanchez.