(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)

The WTT Contender Series is in Brazil this week, and the top seed is Brazil-native Hugo Calderano.  The other Men’s Singles headliners this week in Foz do Iguacu are Benedikt Duda, Dang Qiu, Oh Jungsung, and Dimitrij Ovtcharov.

Calderano has won two matches 3-1 thus far, and is set to play the Quarterfinals against Yokiya Uda later today.  In the second quarter, the Quarterfinal is set by seed with Oh Junsung and Yuta Tanaka facing off Saturday evening.  In the bottom half of the draw, its Dimitrij Ovtcharov against Dang Qiu with at least one German heading to the Semis on Sunday.  And second seed Benedikt Duda has been dominant so far – now set to face Kazuki Hamada in the final Quarterfinal.

Five of the top 8 seeds have make the Quarters in Women’s Singles.  Miwa Harimoto has led the way with a pair of 3-0 wins.  She will face Korea’s Joo Cheonhui, who defeated Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi.   Honoka Hashimoto and Manika Batra will face off Saturday evening, as will Miyu Nagasaki and Cheng I-Ching, and Sakura Yokoi and Satsuki Odo.

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