Bermuda’s top players faced some tough competition on the opening day of the Pan American Squash Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday.

Taylor Carrick, the island’s top men’s singles player, was knocked out in the round of 32. Having received a bye in the round of 64, Carrick was outwitted 3-0 by American Nicholas Spizzirri, who took the match 11-5, 11-6, 11-9.

Earlier, the island’s No 2 seed Micah Franklin was eliminated in the round of 64 after Rafael Galvez, of Peru, triumphed 11-6, 11-3, 11-8.

Only Sydney Wallace enjoyed success in the main draw, with an 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6 women’s singles triumph over Rhea Khan, from Trinidad & Tobago, in the last 32.

Abigail Brewer went down 3-0 to Laura Silva, with the Brazilian securing the contest 11-7, 11-2, 11-1.

Franklin, the Bermuda Squash Association head of squash, stated that while the players showed resilience, they were facing opponents of a high calibre.

“We had some great matches with really great fighting from all of our players,” Franklin told The Royal Gazette.

“Obviously we faced some tough competition and we were up against it. It was nice to see Sydney Wallace and Noah Browne win their matches today, Noah in the parallel draw and Sydney in the main draw.

“This is all building up to the team event, which is a Central American and Caribbean Games qualifying portion of the competition. We are getting some valuable match experience before that, and hoping to keep pushing throughout.”

Charlotte Toogood was the first Bermudian to take to the courts for the women’s singles parallel draw in the round of 32. She was bested 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 by Chilean Antonia Vera.

Noah Browne fared better when he swept past Luca Reich, from British Virgin Islands, 11-6, 11-9, 11-3, to progress to the men’s singles round of 16 parallel draw.

Anaya Smith fought a good battle before losing 3-1 to Shawn Simpson, of Barbados, in the parallel round of 32. Simpson won 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3.

Franklin provided an insight into the two-tier system for the individual competition.

“There are so many players here, that’s why they separate the draws into two halves,”

“The main draw has the one and two best players on the team. The parallel draw has the three and four best players on the team and a player in the parallel draw can win on their end but cannot come into the main draw.”