Binu Topples No. 3 Seed Azam Seconds Before Rain Arrives at Pan American Closed; Top Seeds Alexander and Johnson Advance; Pareja Avenges San Diego Loss to Frodin at Templeton W100

©Colette Lewis 2026--
Spring Texas--

Wild card Achyuth Binu could feel the drops of rain that began when he was leading No. 3 seed Safir Azam 5-1 in the third set of their second round match at the J300 Pan American Closed.

But the 17-year-old from Washington state, was determined not to force the issue, continuing to stay in the long rallies until he found an opening or forced an error from Azam.

"If I was thinking I've got to finish, I'd probably just rush the points, so I was just focusing on every point," said Binu, who got an error from Azam on match point less than 30 seconds before play was halted on the other courts at the Giammalva Racquet Club. "I think he got a little tired, maybe mentally and physically, and I was just playing solid, fighting for every point."

Binu, who reached the semifinals of the J200 in Corpus Christi last week, where the weather was even more uncomfortable than here in the Houston area, where the heat index was over 100 early this afternoon before the clouds and rain arrived.

Although unsure why he received a wild card from the USTA for this event, Binu said he was relieved to have already posted two wins, acknowledging that his game has taken a big jump since he began training at the HITT Academy in Tamarac Florida.

"It's a small academy near Boca," said Binu, who has been in Florida training for the past four years. "I've been there for the last five months. I've been working really hard and I'm happy the results are showing. I had a tough loss in (the J100) in San Antonio, but I just trusted my training and it's working pretty well now."

Binu will face unseeded Gadin Arun next, after Arun defeated No. 14 seed Caden Colburne of Canada 6-4, 6-1.

That's the only round of 16 match Wednesday featuring two unseeded players, but in addition to Azam and Colburne, three other unseeded players have advanced. The only qualifier in either draw to reach the round of 16 is Piotr Gradzki, who defeated No. 12 seed Felipe Mamede of Brazil 6-3, 6-3. Sulaiman Syed beat No. 11 seed Kayden Colombo 6-3, 7-6(7) and William McEwan defeated No. 15 seed Antoine Clavel of  Canada 7-5, 6-4.

McEwan will play top seed Andy Johnson, who defeated Anay Kulkari 6-2, 6-1 in a match much tougher than the score would indicate.

"He trains in Orlando, so I play with him a lot," Johnson said of the 2026 Easter Bowl 16s champion. "He knows my game, I know his game. Obviously in a first match, it's finding a rhythm, he's already played a match so is going in with some rhythm already. I thought I played better and better throughout the match, maybe had a few more unforced errors than normal."

Johnson, who was playing on the same court where he lost in the final to Michael Antonius last year, says he knows he's in a different position now than he was then.

"I know all these boys here, everyone's good, everyone's out for me," said Johnson, who turned 17 last month. "I'm the one who technically should win the tournament, but anything can happen."

Playing next to Johnson for a brief time was the girls 2025 finalist Carrie-Ann Hoo, who was not coming from Southern California, like Johnson, but from Tokyo, where she made the final of a J200 and the third round at the J500 in Osaka. Hoo, who also was playing on the court where she lost in the final to Melije Clarke, said she only began to shake the jet leg today, but had enjoyed her trip to Japan so much last year that she wanted to return again this year despite the lack of time between that tournament and this one.

After her 6-2, 6-3 win over qualifier Vibha Gogineni, Hoo will face No. 15 seed Reiley Rhodes, who beat Teaghan Jou An Keys 6-3, 6-3.

Top seed Avery Alexander of Canada had to fight off a valiant effort from 15-year-old Kathryn Cragg, but she was able to get off the court in just under two hours, avoiding the worst of the day's heat, with a 6-4, 7-5 victory.

Alexander is making her debut at the Pan Am games, with the 16-year-old's ranking a year ago in the 350 range.

"I don't think I was getting in last year," said Alexander, currently 57 in the WT junior rankings. "It's been a good year so far, I've had a really fun summer, good tournaments, good experience. I'm really excited to play here, I love these courts, and I'm playing solid."

Alexander hadn't faced Cragg before, but she had friends who had, and knew Cragg was dangerous.

"I knew a little bit about her and I knew it was going to be a very tough match," Alexander said. "She's obviously a very good player and younger too, and it's always tough to play someone younger than you. I knew she has a really good serve and it was really who could break serve first. In the second set, at 5-all I got the only break. I hit two aces in the last game, and that helps a lot to close out a match."

Alexander will play an even younger opponent in Wednesday's third round, after 14-year-old Isha Manchala, who defeated No. 13 seed Camille Allegre 6-4, 6-3.

In addition to Allegre, three other seeds lost in their first matches today. Kalista Papadopoulos defeated No. 7 seed Olivia De Los Reyes 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Daniella Sales beat No. 14 seed Andrea Cabio of Canada 6-3, 6-1 and Adelina Iftime outlasted No. 16 seed Anya Arora 6-2, 0-6, 6-2.

The girls doubles second round was underway when the last singles match between Azam and Binu finished, and there was a delay, but all the doubles matches were completed by Tuesday evening.

Girls top seeds Alexander and Cabio lost to Manchala and Sales 6-3, 6-2 and boys No. 2 seeds Azam and Teodor Davidov were beaten by Mamede and Vincent Weaver 7-5, 7-6(5). 

Top boys seeds Johnson and Tanishk Konduri advanced, as did No. 2 girls seeds Hoo and Isabelle DeLuccia, who also competed in the Osaka J500 last week, reaching the doubles quarterfinals with Hoo.

Play begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday with all eight boys third round matches, with the girls third round matches to follow. There is a chance of rain in the forecast again on Wednesday.

A rematch of the USTA Girls 18s Nationals semifinals took place today in the first round of the USTA Pro Circuit W100 in Templeton California, with Julieta Pareja getting her revenge over Thea Frodin, who received a wild card into the tournament. Frodin had beaten Pareja 7-6(2), 7-6(4) in San Diego and today's match was also close, but this time Pareja prevailed 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.