Defending champion Kevin Cordon was forced to produce a come-from-behind win to qualify for his 10th consecutive Pan Am Individual Championships quarterfinal.
In his second round duel with Canadian Victor Lai in Kingston, Jamaica yesterday, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games semifinalist from Guatemala went down 21-14 in the opener before upping his tempo to seal the ensuing games 21-15 21-14 and avoid an upset.
The 56-minute victory set up a last eight match with 19-year-old Brazilian Davi Silva for the three-time champion. Debutant Silva extended his run with a comprehensive 21-5 21-6 takedown of Ecuadorian Henry Huebla Leon.
In women’s singles, Silva’s 18-year-old compatriot Juliana Viana Vieira shocked Canadian Wen Yu Zhang 21-17 22-20 to advance to a clash with fourth-seeded American Lauren Lam.
Following them into the quarterfinals are reigning champions Michelle Li (women’s singles), Job Castillo/Luis Armando Montoya Navarro (men’s doubles) and Ty Alexander Lindeman/Josephine Wu (mixed doubles), who all won in straight games under 24 minutes.
Samuel O’Brien Ricketts carries the flag for the host nation in two doubles events – men’s with Bradley Evans and mixed alongside Tahlia Richardson.
→ Results (Day 2)
→ Order of play (Day 3)
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