JAMAICANS Katherine Wynter, Ruth Williams and Dennis Coke advanced to the quarter-finals of the individual events at the 2015 Jamaica International Badminton Championship being held at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium at the University of Technology on Thursday.

The Under-19 champion, Wynter, easily brushed aside Crystal Leefmans from Suriname 21-15, 21-14 in the women’s singles. Wynter was scheduled to play the tournament’s number-one seed Zuzana Pavelkova from Czech Republic in quarter-final one last evening. Pavelkova earlier defeated Ieva Pope from Latvia 21-16, 21-14.

“The match against Leefmans was not that difficult, as I am in good form at the moment. However, heading into the quarter-final I know that I have to step up my game, but I feel I am ready for that clash. I am going to give it my best and hopefully it will be good enough for a victory,” Wynter told the Jamaica Observer.

Williams, who had a walkover victory against Dominican Vibieca Beroncia, was slated to contest quarter-final three against tournament’s number-three seed Ebru Tunali from Turkey, who defeated Jamaican Mikaylia Haldane 21-8, 21-12 in round one.

Also failing to advance in the women’s singles were Carla Grant-Hamilton, who lost 15-21, 20-22 to Barbados’ Sabrina Scott, and Esther Reynolds, who lost 10-21, 4-21 to the tournament’s number-two seed Nikte Alejandra Sotomayor from Guatemala in round one action.

In the men’s singles, Dennis Coke had set up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash with the tournament’s number-one seed and favourite Howard Shu from the United States of America. Coke got past Barbados’ Sabeel Fotser 21-11, 21-10 in round one before defeating fellow Jamaican Che Beckford 21-16, 21-13 in round two, while Shu, who got a bye in round one, comfortably put away Andrew D’Souza from Canada 21-17, 21-16 in round two.

Davyon Reid, who defeated Suriname’s Mitchel Wongsodikromo 21-15, 14-21, 21-15 in round one, lost his round two match 21-18, 13-21, 10-21 to Turkey’s Sinan Zorlu.

Other Jamaicans — Willroy Miles, Shane Wilson, Tremar Barham, Jermarey Gordon, Jonathan David Smith, Anthony McNee, Sean Wilson (Shane’s brother), Mathew Lee and Kemar Valentime failed to advance from round one.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s mixed doubles pair of Wynter and Miles defeated compatriots Wilson (Sean) and Reynolds 21-10, 21-7 to book a quarter-final spot against fellow Jamaicans Barham and Alana Bailey.

In other mixed doubles results, Williams and Valentine went down 18-21, 14-21 to Barbados’ pair of Dakeil Jonathon Thorpe and Sabrina Scott.

McNee and Christine Leyow also went down 19-21, 12-21 to Suriname’s Mitchel Wongsodikromo and Crystal Leefmans.