Men’s singles top seed Jason Anthony Ho-Shue was on court longer than he might have anticipated, against El Salvador’s Uriel Francisco Canjura Artiga in the second round of the XXIV Pan Am Individual Championships 2021 in Guatemala yesterday.
The Canadian lost the opening game but recovered to take the next two, 18-21 21-12 21-15 and clinch his place in the third round against Guatemala’s Yelson Esleiter Del Cid Alvarez.
The Pan Am Individual Championships are among the last qualifying events for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Other seeds too were pushed in their opening matches. Sixth seed BR Sankeerth, also of Canada, had a close shave against USA’s Howard Shu, 21-16 16-21 21-19, while fifth seed Lino Munoz (Mexico) prevailed against compatriot Luis Armando Montoya Navarro in three games, 23-21 13-21 21-14.
However, second seed Brian Yang, third seed Ygor Coelho and fourth seed Kevin Cordon all progressed in straight games.
In mixed doubles, second seeds Matthew Fogarty/Isabel Zhong went down fighting in the second round to El Salvador’s Manuel Meija/Katherine Sarai Lara Guzman 21-19 15-21 21-19.
Top seeds Joshua Hurlburt-Yu/Josephine Wu were taken the distance by Mexico’s Luis Armando Montoya Navarro/Vanessa Karmine Vazquez, 19-21 21-9 21-18.