Robertson S. Henry. Sports and Cultural Contributor
In Sports news, Early morning showers on morning Monday August 18, 2013 prevented the 9:00 a.m. scheduled start of play, but by Wednesday, the tournament was on schedule to conclude on time.
Dark clouds were still hovering up in the skies, and the organizers had informed players and their managers that there would be no play before 10:00 a.m., on Monday morning.
Twenty-two matches were scheduled in the Boys and Girls 18s singles matches, which included a number of Caribbean players that included three wild-card entries from host country St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The male Vincentian wild-card entries were Akeem Guy played John Jorgeson of the USA, Akeizo Quammie faced Joshau Abraham of Trinidad and Tobago, and Richard Akcayli did clash with Stefan Cooper of Great Britain the tournament’s number two seeded player; ranked 825th in the world junior rankings.
The Lyttle twin sisters Luka and Denee were the only Vincentian players in the Girls 18’s singles draw.
Meanwhile, on Saturday and Sunday August 17th and 18th respectively, Caribbean players enjoyed mixed success in the Boys and Girls 14 Singles matches, winning some, losing a few.
Although not in the same company their counterparts in the elite Boys and Girls 18s, the Under-14s boys and girls matches were packed with action, errors, and the never-say-die attitude.
Cherise Slocombe of Barbados in action. Photo courtesy Robertson Henry
Jean-Phillippe Murray of Saint Lucia defeated Miguel Francis of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 4-0 4-0, Alexander Cyrus of St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeated Danyel Angus of Trinidad and Tobago 4-2 4-0, and Cordell Williams jr of Antigua stopped Richard Hoyte of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 4-0 4-0,
Gabrielle Benn of St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeated Shania Williams of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 4-1 4-0, Alexi Humphrey of St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeating Ramona Tomlinson of Antigua 4-0 4-0; Armalia Benn of St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeated Kalyca Fraser of Guyana 4-1 4-0; Kamara Williams of St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeated Jamaali Homer of Guyana 4-2 5-4 (7); and Keenan Persuad of Guyana defeated Miguel Francis of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 4-1 4-1.
Ukpioronfo Ikolo of Grenada kept his hopes of making it to the knock out phase of the Under-14s Singles, with a 4-0 4-0 clinical dispatch of Alexander Cyrus of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Mark McDonald of Guyana got past Richard Hoyte of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 4-0 4-1.
One of the scores of visiting players in action. Photo courtesy Robertson Henry
Meanwhile the females had their moments of excitement as Gabrielle Benn of St. Vincent and the Grenadines struggled but got past the temperamental Afruica Gentle of Guyana 4-2 1-4 4-1. In other Girls Under-14s matches, Shania Williams of St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeated Jonelle Anderson of Antigua 4-0 4-1, and Amarlia Benn of St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeated Candace Cook of Trinidad and Tobago 5-3 4-1.
Anya King of Trinidad and Tobago took three sets to defeat Anastasia White of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 1-4 4-2 5-3; it being the last match to finish off the day’s action.
But Alexi Humphrey of St. Vincent and the Grenadines kept here hopes alive although taking three sets to see off Jamaali Homer of Guyana, winning 4-0 4-5 (1) 5-4; and Kamara Williams of St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeating Ramona Tomlinson of Antigua 4-0 4-1.
Meanwhile as soon as the courts were dried, the battle for top honours in the 2013 National Lotteries Authority-sponsored International Tennis Federation Junior Tennis Tournament started in earnest at the National Tennis Centre, which will run August 19 – 24, 2013.
The top four seeded Boys 18 players are Jean Thirouin of the USA, fresh off his winning the 2013 Coca-Cola ITF Junior Tennis Tournament Boys 18s Singles championship in Saint Lucia is seeded at number one.
Girls number 5 seed Anjana Suresh of Canada. Photo courtesy Robertson Henry
The other top seeded players are Stefan Cooper of Great Britain the number two seed, the number three seed is Arthur Stephani of Brazil, and W. De Quant of the Netherlands is the number four seed male player. Also competing in the week’s tournament is the 2013 Coca-Cola ITF Junior Tennis Tournament Boys 18s Girls champion Simone Pratt of the Bahamas, who is the Girls number one seed.
Danielle Thompson also of the Bahamas is the number two seed, Brianna Stampli of Trinidad and Tobago the number three seed, with Mia Smith of Great Britain the number four seed. On Sunday afternoon, there was a rush in the closing minutes as players who arrived on the island just minutes earlier due to LIAT’s scheduling and rescheduling, were able to reach the registration desk and get their particulars sorted out.
The playing arrangements for the tournament saw all of the Boys and Girls Under-14 Singles and Doubles being played at the Grassroots Courts, while the Boys’ and Girls’ 18s Singles and Doubles are being played at the National Tennis Centre in Villa.
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