Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Goodluck and Primo win gbti Open Tennis Novice doubles
The Novice category was the first category to be completed for the GBTI Open 2015 Tennis Championships. Akeem Bailey took on Delon Fraser in the semi-finals.
Tandy Primo and Jamal Goodluck
Fraser’s backhand was placed under pressure by the deep shots Bailey crafted. Bailey was determined to gain a win and had to resurge from 4/5 and was able to do so and secure a spot in the finals after capitalizing on a break and served out the set at 7/5. He then faced Jamal Goodluck in the finals.
Goodluck opened the account of the match with a hold and break and had a lead of 4/2. It appeared that the novice title was finally in reach until Bailey had yet another comeback. He mounted a counter act with heavy loops and deep shots to put Goodluck on the defensive.
The game eventually tied at 5/5 and hope was dwindlingfor Goodluck. Goodluck in the end regrouped and served his first ace of the match which seemed to refuel him. He then launched an attack to hold serve and set up two match points. He clenched the title of GBTI Novice 2015 with a win of 7/5 over Akeem Bailey.
The Novice doubles finals also concluded with the familiar pair, Jamal Goodluck and Tandy Primo, winning the title for 2015. They outplayed their opponents in the round robin set up while Fiona Bushell and Martin Campbell took runners up in the category.
The Men’s Open quarter finals started with Andre Erskine and Chethan Narayan. In the battle of flat ground strokes and consistency, Andre Erskine came out victorious.
Erskine started the match by holding serve and immediately broke his opponent to gain a 2/0 advantage. Indian national, Chethan Narayan broke to take the match back on serve. Erskine held his service game to move ahead 3/1. Narayan started mixing his game with slices, lobs and winners from every angle to throw his frustrated opponent off.
Narayan won 4 consecutive games to take command of the set 5/3. Erskine held serve to stay alive but Narayan would not be denied the set, winning it 6/4 off of an Erskine’s unforced error.
The second set started similarly to the first, with Erskine taking an early break off serve. Serving at 2/1, and up a break, Erskine’s service game was once again at threat, but he held his nerves and raced through the set, winning it 6/1.The match went to a deciding set and the thirst for the win intensified as both players went for broke. The third set featured some grueling rallies.
Narayan applied pressure by slicing the ball so low that Erskine had to dig deep and low to stay in the rallies. Serving 3/5, to stay in the match, Narayan found another gear after being down match point. He safeguarded the match at 4/6, 6/1, 6/4. He next faces the winner between Daniel Lopes (seeded number 3) and Keimo Benjamin.
Benjettan Osborne wasted no time in his rematch against Rudy Grant hitting winners after winners. He has racked up the most winners so far in the tournament. His flat corner seeking shots made it difficult for Grant to impose his tactic. Osborne progresses with a win of 6/1, 6/3. Philbert Clark tried to make his first Quarter Finals but was denied by Keimo Benjamin, 6/1, 7/6(7/4). Although Clark had a 4/0 lead in the second set he failed to keep the pressure on Benjamin.
The other quarter finals winners were Seanden David-Longe and Anthony Downes. David-Longe defeated Harry Panday 6/2, 6/3 which was an accomplishment for him since Panday had once defeated him as a junior. While Downes looked solid with a 6/0, 6/0 win over Kester Abrams.
Nicolas Glasgow and Nicola Ramdyhan played Berbicans, Carol Humphrey and Godfrey Lowden in the Quarter Finals of the Mixed Doubles. The veteran Berbicians played with a touch of class to win 6/2, 6/4. Daniel Lopes and Areta Dey had a battle in their match against Grace McCalman and Leyland Leacock.
There were numerous of opportunities for McCalman/Leacock to win the first set but the many unforced errors cost them the set. Lopes and Dey took the set at 7/5 and McCalman/Leacock retired in the second set after being on court for one hour and forty-five minutes.
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