Puerto Rican junior players advance to quarterfinals at Copa Palmas del Caribe.

Amalia Bures was one of several Puerto Rican players to move on to the main draw of the U18 Copa Palmas del Caribe (J30) in Bayamón.

By THE STAR STAFF

Puerto Rico’s youth tennis talent took a decisive step forward at the U18 Copa Palmas del Caribe (J30) — an event on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors circuit — following an intense Wednesday of competition that determined the qualifiers for the knockout stage.

Local players took center stage in Bayamón by securing multiple spots in the tournament’s quarterfinals and successfully transitioning from the group stage to the main draw.

Among the most notable results, Bela Martínez Rivero finished undefeated in her group in the girls’ division, while Amalia Bures also advanced with a solid performance in hers. Joining them was Andrea Maldonado Figueroa, who delivered a standout performance to secure her qualification for the next round.

“The performance of our players reaffirms the competitive standard of youth tennis in Puerto Rico,” said Rosa Martínez, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tennis Association. “Seeing them advance to this stage is a reflection of their discipline and the hard work that has been put in.”