Sometimes, second best is good enough. For the western hemisphere's crusaders who had converged in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico for the 2020 ITTF Pan American Cup, gold was of course the preferred medal hue. Silver, however, also sufficed for a golden ticket to the World Cup. Thus, it was finals or bust. After last year's campaign, the formidable foursome representing the United States carried with them a mix of well-earned confidence and lingering frustration. For Nikhil Kumar, his fate was once again a first-round exit. His teammate Kanak Jha, once again seeded second behind Brazil's Hugo Calderano, was expected to repeat his run to the finals. The men's semifinal matchups were identical to 2019, but individual results may vary. On the top half of the draw, Hugo Calderano once again overcame Paraguay's Marcelo Aguirre to reach the finals. In the other semi, Kanak Jha faced a rematch with Calderano's Brazilian teammate Gustavo Tsuboi, whom Jha dispatched in six games last year. This time, however, Tsuboi was determined to write a different story. In an epic seven-game match, Tsuboi punched his ticket to the World Cup with a nail-biting (11-9, 11-6, 10-12, 4-11, 11-4, 3-11, 11-9) scoreline. "Last year I lost to Kanak. The difference is clear, very clear" said the left-handed Tsuboi afterward. "Today I played quite a lot down the parallel to his forehand and that was a big difference from the previous games with him." Jha would go on to best Aguirre for the bronze, a respectable but no doubt disappointing result for the American ace. While Tsuboi's tactical adjustments earned him sweet revenge and a World Cup invite, he was still no match for his teammate. Hugo Calderano proved once again that gold never goes out of style. In the women's draw, defending champion Adriana Diaz of the host nation also aimed to hold on to the gold. As usual, she would need her "A" game to repel the invaders attacking her island home. Last year, the USA's Lily Zhang and Wu Yue both met with frustration. Wu Yue went the distance with the champion-elect Diaz in the 2019 semis, consoling herself with a win in the bronze medal match. This year, it was déjà vu all over again as Wu Yue was once again derailed by Diaz, only to salvage a bronze. In 2019, Lily Zhang fell victim to Zhang Mo, her Canadian rival, in a seven-game quarterfinal matchup. This time, they clashed in the semis, and the result was a decisive sweep for the American. With the win, Lily Zhang had secured the automatic bid to the World Cup, but of course she had loftier ambitions. After a hard-fought six-games, however, it was the local favorite Diaz who once again stood atop the podium. "Lily played very well," said the champion Diaz. "Playing Lily, you can't keep being involved in rallies; that is where she is very good. I needed to try to finish the points quickly." Diaz also acknowledged the home court advantage afforded by 4,000 highly partisan fans. "It feels amazing," she described. "The public was a key factor to win. I felt the positive vibes." While Kanak Jha must do everything he can to improve his world ranking and hope for a wild card selection to the men's World Cup, Lily Zhang is assured a return to the tournament where last year she caused so much havoc. Entering as a wild card, she made a historic run to the semifinals, the best-ever finish for an American. This October 23-25, Lily Zhang and Adriana Diaz will represent the entirety of the Americas at the ITTF Women's World Cup in Bangkok. Who then will be feeling the most positive vibes?

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