Fired-up homesters Samuel O’Brien Ricketts/Tahlia Richardson notched a massive result on the Pan Am Individual Championships 2023 opening day in Kingston, Jamaica yesterday.
Ricketts/Richardson, ranked 394 places below their world No.63 opponents Jonathan Solis/Diana Corleto Soto of Guatemala, showed their intent by taking the first game 21-16. Solis/Soto responded by winning the second 21-14 but Ricketts and Richardson were not prepared to let the opportunity slip as they clinched the decider 21-17 to progress.
Ricketts also celebrated turning 27 two days ago by advancing in men’s singles with a 21-16 21-6 win over Costa Rican No results found.
Canadian B. R. Sankeerth, men’s singles bronze medallist in 2019, was another one to bite the dust. He lost in straight games, 21-16 21-8, to 19-year-old Brazilian Davi Silva.
The heavyweights meanwhile, had little trouble clearing the first round.
The likes of Brian Yang, Michelle Li, Ygor Coelho, Kevin Cordon and Beiwen Zhang, all former gold medallists, spent less than 30 minutes on court in their wins. Yang faced the most resistance, from American Enrico Asuncion, before winning 21-10 21-15.
Mixed doubles defending champions and top seeds Ty Alexander Lindeman/Josephine Wu needed only 15 minutes to complete their 21-8 21-7 victory over Nicholas Bonkowsky/Chequeda De Boulet of Trinidad and Tobago.
→ Results (Day 1)
→ Order of play (Day 2)
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