Top seed at the Carebaco International Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Jamaica’s badminton ace Gareth Henry came up short in the men’s singles and was knocked out of the semi-finals of the men’s doubles on Saturday with partner Garron Palmer.

Eighth seed Joe Wu of New Zealand took 33 minutes to dispose of Henry 21-18, 21-14 in the men’s singles.

With a first-round bye, Henry, ranked number 126 in the world, outpointed Puerto Rican Torres Heriberto 19-21, 21-7, 21-15 in the second round and overpowered Suriname’s Dylan Darmohoetomo 22-20, 21-16 in the third round.

At the Carebaco International last year, Henry was beaten 21-18, 21-17 in the semi-final by top seed Rodolfo Ramirez of Guatemala and he was hoping to go further this time around.

Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles, Henry and Palmer fell in the semi-final to Guatemalans Solis Jonathan and Rodolfo Ramirez, who won 19-21, 21-16, 21-5.

Henry and Palmer had defeated Barbadians Thorpe Dakeil Jonathan and Bradley Pilgrim 21-16, 24-22 in the second round after a 30-minute contest and another Barbadian pair, Andre Padmore and Kevin Wood, in the quarter-finals, with scores of 21-23, 21-16, 21-12. That match lasted 39 minutes.

In the mixed doubles, meantime, fourth seed Gareth and sister Geordine Henry failed to play the Dominican Republic duo of Alberto Raposo and Yaritza Taveras who earned a walkover in the second round.

For Palmer, who also played in the men’s singles, he was knocked out in the third round by fourth seed, Suriname’s Mitchel Wongsodikromo, who won 21-8, 21-5.

In mixed doubles, Palmer and Katherine Wynter went down in the second round to second seed Wongsodikromo and Crystal Leefmans, who won 21-19, 21-8.

The other Jamaican that competed in the men’s singles, Samuel Ricketts, lost to Puerto Rican Pedro Zapata 21-12, 21-8 in the second round.