Team USA emerged with three bronze medals after the first four days of match play at the 2018 Pan American Junior Championships in Brasilia, Brazil.
Claire Aube earned Team USA’s first medal of the tournament in the girls’ individual competition. Aube entered the draw as a 5/8 seed, which she exceeded with a run to the semifinals courtesy of three, 3-0 victories. Aube collected her bronze medal after falling against Barbados’ top seed Meagan Best in the semis.
Aube’s sister and teammate, Haley, helped earn another bronze for Team USA with Jesse Brownell in the girls’ doubles competition. Aube & Brownell fulfilled their 3/4 seeding by reaching the semifinals, where the Americans lost out to second-seeded Mexico 11-6, 11-9.
Cullen Little & Ashley Manning claimed a third bronze for Team USA in the mixed doubles competition. Entering as 5/8 seeds, Little & Manning upset 3/4 seeds Argentina 11-2, 11-10 to reach the semifinals. The Americans lost in a close semifinal against Canada 11-6, 6-11, 11-5 to collect the bronze.
The individual and doubles competitions determined the ensuing girls’ and boys’ team competition seedings, which began pool play on Wednesday, June 20. The U.S. girls’ team earned the to seeding, entering Group A alongside four seeds Canada and seven seeds Mexico. The U.S. boys’ team enter Group D as the eight seeds with four seeds Mexico and twelve seeds El Salvador. The top two teams from each group advance to the knock out rounds with six more medals to play for.
Follow results on the Pan American Juniors tournament page.
