Jonathan Truong and Sammy Lee Upset Top Seeds: Jonathan Truong and Sammy Lee, competing together for the first time, reached the Round of 16 at the Select Medical Orange County Cup in San Clemente. The duo, seeded No. 41, defeated No. 9 seeds Roscoe Bellamy and Matt Wright 11-9, 11-4 on Wednesday after coming through qualifiers.
From Qualifiers to Contenders
On Monday, Jonathan Truong and Sammy Lee were one point away from elimination in the second round of qualifying. They faced match point against Daniel Byun and Victor Rodrigo but fought back to win and continued their streak through the main draw.
On Tuesday, they took down No. 17 seeds Rafa Hewett and Juan Benitez with a tough 11-9, 12-10 win in the Round of 64. That match gave them momentum heading into the next round.
“Beating Rafa and Juan was a huge confidence boost, We found our groove late in both games but grinded it out.Then to come back the next day and take out Roscoe and Matt is a great feeling.”-(Sammy Lee)
A First-Time Partnership That Works
Even though this is their first tournament playing together, the pair has shown excellent chemistry. Their different playing styles seem to complement each other well.
“He’s super steady, super solid,” said Jonathan Truong about Sammy Lee. “I know I can count on him to make every ball and bail me out when I take risky shots. We can both play both sides, which gives us flexibility, and I think our contrasting styles—me being more aggressive, him being more consistent—make us a strong pairing.”
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Next Match: Big Test Ahead
Jonathan Truong and Sammy Lee will now face No. 6 seeds James Ignatowich and Collin Johns. A win would put them in the men’s doubles quarterfinals—a huge step for a team that started in qualifying.
“We’re playing loose, having fun, and just trying to continue this run,We have confidence in each other and believe we can beat anyone.”-(Sammy Lee)
News in Brief: Jonathan Truong and Sammy Lee Upset Top Seeds
Jonathan Truong and Sammy Lee, the No. 41 seeds, advanced to the Round of 16 at the Select Medical Orange County Cup with wins over Rafa Hewett/Juan Benitez and Roscoe Bellamy/Matt Wright. The first-time partners will now face James Ignatowich and Collin Johns for a spot in the quarterfinals.
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