WC Qualifying Pan America QFs: Lopez Downs No.2 Seed Ray To Gatecrash Semi-Finals In Maryland

The quarter finals of the Pan America World Championships Qualifying event concluded in Maryland yesterday with eight players claiming wins to book their spots in the semi-finals.

The win of the day came from Mexico’s Sarahi Lopez, who downed former World No.18 Danielle Ray to earn a spot in the semis. Ray took the first game 11-8 but the spirit of Lopez wasn’t deterred as she fought back to claim the second and third games 11-8, 11-7 to take a 2-1 lead. Lopez then held strong in the fourth game to close it out 11-9 and score the day’s only upset in the women’s event.

Lopez joins the other top three seeds, Fouts, Navani and Tovar as they scored confident wins over Bonilla, Prow and Shaheenm with Navani the only to drop a game as she defeated Margot Prow 3-1 in 38 minutes.

Ecuador’s David Costales continued his fine form from the previous round as he defeated Canada’s Liam Marrison 3-1 to earn a spot in the last four. Costales dominated the opening two games, giving Marrison nothing to work with as he claimed them 11-6, 11-4 to place one foot in the next round. Marrison was determined to get himself into the match and scored the third game 11-7 to throw some doubt into proceedings. Costales regrouped in the fourth however and stormed to an 11-3 victory.

He’ll now face Guatemala’s Alejandro Enriquez in the semi-finals after he came through a bruising clash with Mexico’s Sebastian Salazar, coming through in an 87-minute five-setter, 15-13 in the crucial fifth game.

Top seed Spencer Lovejoy and No.3 seed Jeremías Azaña will complete the semi-final line-up as they both needed four games to move past Diego Gobbi and Alejandro Reyes.

Results: Men’s Quarter Finals
[1] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) bt Diego Gobbi (BRA) 10-12, 11-4, 11-3, 11-1 (42m)
[3] Jeremías Azaña (ARG) bt [6] Alejandro Reyes (MEX) 11-5, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4 (51m)
[5] Alejandro Enriquez (GUA) bt Sebastian Salazar (MEX) 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-13, 15-13 (87m)
David Costales (ECU) bt Liam Marrison (CAN) 11-6, 11-4, 7-11, 11-3 (39m)

Results: Women’s Quarter Finals
[1] Caroline Fouts (USA) bt [6] Winifer Bonilla (GUA) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 (23m)
[3] Riya Navani (USA) bt Margot Prow (BAR) 11-2, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5 (38m)
[4] Laura Tovar (COL) bt [7] Iman Shaheen (CAN) 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 (20m)
Sarahi Lopez (MEX) bt [2] Danielle Ray (CAN) 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (42m)

Draw: Men’s Semi-Finals
[1] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) v [3] Jeremías Azaña (ARG)
David Costales (ECU) v [5] Alejandro Enriquez (GUA)

Draw: Women’s Semi-Finals
[1] Caroline Fouts (USA) v [3] Riya Navani (USA)
Sarahi Lopez (MEX) v [4] Laura Tovar (COL)