ITF Junior Tourney Enters Fourth Day.
WITH temperatures in the high 80’s and the sun bearing down relentlessly, the 32nd Coca Cola / LIME sponsored ITF Junior Tennis tournament presently taking place at the National Tennis Centre in Beausejour, Gros Islet enters day four.
But one thing for certain the likes of Fredric Fibleuil (Martinique) Justin Lee (USA) will play each other, as will Arthur Bernabe (France) and Robert Hammond (USA) as the quartet have secured semi final berths in the Boys 18s main draw to be played today. In the Girls 18s semi finals Vivien Klein (Germany) will meet Kate Paules (USA), Nicole Bunea (Canada) will play Kianah Motosono (USA).
Meanwhile, the top 8 boys and girls in the 14 and Under category from the region were also in action just before press time yesterday. Meggan Williams, Nathan Francis, Nicholas St. John, Aidan Bousquet and Raphael Ribot (St. Lucia) will have a lot to prove against Aron Fields and Kimelle Williams (Trinidad), Ebolum Nwokolo and Victoria Koylass (Grenada) and Christian Warner (Barbados).
It has been mixed fortunes for the St. Lucian players in the tournament thus far. On opening day there were wins for Taquel Lewis (St. Lucia) over Jacob Bicknell (Jamaica) 0 – 6, 6 – 4, 6 – 4, while Arthur Bernabe (France) defeated Jean Phillip Murray (St. Lucia 6 – 3, 6 – 2; Tyler Zink (USA) defeated Adriel Bousquet (St. Lucia) 6 -2, 6 -3; Tahlia Skeene (Trinidad) defeated Jayda Hunte (St. Lucia) 7 – 5, 6 – 2; Shamar Marcus (St. Lucia) lost to Wilhem Larador (France) 6 – 0, 6 – 1 and Ajani Thomas (St. Lucia) defeated Fredric Fibleuil (Martinique) 6 – 2, 6 – 2.
In matches played in the Under -18 Main Draw Singles and Doubles on Tuesday Girls Kianah Motosono (USA) defeated Sierra Donaldson (Bahamas) 6 – 1, 6 -1; Elizabeth Mandlik (USA) defeated Afrika Smith (Bahamas) 6-2, 6-2; Nicole Bunea ( Canada) defeated Isabella Lowrey (USA) 6 – 1, 6 – 1; Anaelle Roch ( Guadeloupe) defeated Dakota Fordham (USA) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3; Carissa Rodulfo (Trinidad) lost to Liana Blackwood (Jamaica) who retired with the first set at 5 – 2; and Najah Dawson (USA) defeated Thalia Skeene (Trinidad) 6 – 1, 6 – 0
In the Boys 18s Singles, Jack Pulliam from the USA defeated Taqel Lewis of St. Lucia 6 -1, 6-3 and Justin Lee of the USA defeated Max Benaim of Great Britain 6 -1, 6-2.
In the Girls 18s Doubles, Denee Lyttle and Luka Lyttle (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) defeated Trinidadians Esther James and Carissa Rodulfo in super tiebreak 5 -7, 6 – 2, (10-8); Dakota Fordham and Elizabeth Mandlik of the USA defeated Jayda Hunte of St. Lucia and Tangia Codrington of Barbados 6-0, 6-1.
In the Boys 18s Doubles Taqel Lewis of St. Lucia and Stefan Moise of Romania went down to Salvador Bolanos of El Salvador and Ryan Mueller of Guatemala 6-0, 7-5, Ajani Thomas of St. Lucia and Danyel Angus of Trinidad lost to Arthur Bernabe of France and Frederic Fibleuil of Martinique 6-1, 6-0, while Jean- Phillip Murray of St. Lucia and Gavin Hutchinson of Barbados lost to Sebastian Alarcon of Bolivia and Chadi Omeis of Lebanon 6-4, 6-1.
