Trinidad and Tobago’s Josiah Hills and Honduran Adriana Isabella Bonilla had to settle for the runner-up spot in the Under-14 mixed doubles when the 2026 Masters Confederation of Tennis of Central America and the Caribbean (COTECC) ended at the Haciendas Family & Fitness Club hard courts in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico, on Friday (September 11).
This after Hills and Bonilla were beaten in the final by Mexicans Patricio Alvarez and Renata Pacheco Lopez, 0-6, 0-6.
A day earlier in the semifinals, Hills and Bonilla stunned the number one-seeded duo of Costa Rican Samuel Leon and Ana Alvarez of the Dominican Republic, 6-2, 6-4, while Alvarez and Lopez spanked Costa Rican Hector Cruz and Mexico’s Daniela Rangel Ramos 6-2, 6-2 in their semifinals.
Earlier in the quarterfinals, Hills and Bonilla won 6-3, 7-5 against Sebastien Nieto of Honduras and Mexican Elsa Boiko, while Leon and Alvarez defeated Hondurans Gerardo Zuniga and Warde Simon 6-1, 6-3.
In the two other quarterfinals, Alvarez and Lopez beat Mexico’s Antonio Aguilar Solabac and Giulliana Solis of Guatemala 6-1, 6-0, and Cruz and Ramos stopped Ian Memcke and Kyara Khayyat 6-4, 6-2.
Overall, Hills finished as the second-best player of the tournament behind Alvarez.
On Wednesday, Hills and Alvarez of Mexico captured the Boys U-14 Doubles title when they ended the four-team round-robin series with a 3-0 record.
Hills and Alvarez crushed Guatemalan Ian Lemcke and Honduran Gerardo Zuniga 6-1, 6-1 before they also secured straight-set victories over Samuel Romero Leon and Hector Cruz of Costa Rica 6-1, 6-0 and a 6-3, 6-3 triumph against Solabac and Nieto.
The second-ranked Hills had his quest for a triple crown of titles in the tournament halted when he was beaten in the singles semifinal by his doubles partner, Alvarez, the top seed, 1-6, 4-6, while Mexico’s Antonio Aguilar Solabac brushed aside third-seeded Costa Rican Samuel Romero Leon 6-1, 6-3.
Hills redeemed himself in the third-place playoff, beating Leon 7-5, 6-0 on Friday, while Alvarez claimed the top spot with his 6-2, 7-6(2) triumph over Solabac.
By reaching the semifinal, Hills, along with the other three players, qualified to join the GSPDP COTECC U-14 team for World Tennis Junior tournaments in El Salvador and Guatemala in October and November and to compete at the America’s Cup U-14 in Orlando, Florida.
The boys’ and girls’ champions also earn selection to the GSPDP World Tennis 14 & Under International Touring Team to Florida 2026, which competes at the Junior Orange Bowl and the Eddie Herr—two of the most significant junior events on the international calendar.
In round-robin Group B play, Hills defeated Hector Cruz 5-7, 7-6(4), 4-0, retiring to add to his 6-3, 6-2 win over Honduran Sebastien Flores 6-3, 6-3.
The lone defeat in the group phase for Hills came against Solobac in their virtual pool decider, 3-6, 6-2, 0-6.
Alvarez topped Group A after wins over Costa Rican Samuel Leon (6-1, 6-2); Honduran Gerardo Zuniga (6-1, 6-0); and Guatemalan Ian Lemcke (6-1, 6-0). Leon won his other matches over Zuniga 6-0, 7-6(5), and Lemcke 6-4, 6-3 to reach the semifinals as the runner-up.
This was the second straight year that Hills is participating in the COTECC Master U-14 Tournament, an achievement that reflects sustained performance across the COTECC U-14 circuit rather than a single strong result. He is accompanied in Mexico by coach Larry Yearwood.
In a release, TennisTT noted that a return to this stage is never the work of one person and acknowledged the hard work and contribution of the coaches who have guided Hills’ development.
It added, "The significant financial commitment made by his family in supporting his campaign on the regional circuit, and the ongoing role of the association in creating the pathways through which our athletes are able to compete and excel at this level."
