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GBTI IJ OPEN: Fate pits Lopes against Erskine in GBTI Tennis
This third consecutive year, it took young Daniel Lopes straight sets to deny baseliner Andre Erskine a chance to experience the semis of Guyana’s greatest tennis tournament the GBTI Independence Jubilee Open Tennis tournament.
Daniel Lopes
Erskine won the toss to serve but immediately went down 3-0 to Lopes whose backhand slice seemed more deadly this time round from the get go. Erskine who seemed less energetic than usual then broke Lopes serve to claim his first game at 3-1 and then held serve to 3-2. He then failed to keep his composure which gave an opening for Lopes to take a 4-2 lead. The two maintained their signature long rallies amidst the murmurs of excited spectators but it was Lopes who was able to keep his unforced errors to a minimum to win the next two games and take the set at 6-2.
Erskine at this time seemed resolved to turn the tide so he settled into his rhythm of groundstroke delight. But the second set progressed as an exact repeat of the first up to 4-2 in favour of Lopes. Erskine then held serve at 4-3 looking focused taking the ball out of the air and rushing to complete winners to save energy, but Lopes too held serve at 5-3. Erskine then serving to stay in the match leveled the game at deuce after being down 0-40. He managed to set himself up for game point but missed an overhead smash to level again at deuce. Erskine then served well to go up to game point again but Lopes knocked the wind out of his serve with deep return slices to draw errors to win the game set and match at 6-3.
After the match Erskine lamented the three peat loss stating that his chances were definitely greater last year since it was clear that Lopes’ consistency and versatility had improved.
Lopes await the winner of the Heimraj Resaul/Leyland Leacock clash which is expected to be another exciting match.
Meanwhile, in the Ladies Singles, defending champion Nicola Ramdyhan brushed aside Shivani Persaud 6-0, 6-1 to book her place in the finals and await the highly anticipated duel between her coach and mother Shelly Daly and last year’s finalist Afruica Gentle. In the Men’s Over 45 Singles Godfrey Lowden tactfully cruised past Albert Razick to take on the indomitable challenger Harry Panday. Lowden recently defeated Panday in the Men’s 35 semis.
Full Results are:
Ladies Open Singles: Semifinals: Nicola Ramdyhan def Shivani Persaud 6-0. 6-1
Men’s Open Singles: Round of 16: Nicholas Glasgow def Jordan Beaton w/o, Leyland Leacock def Jamal Goodluck 6-0, 6-0, Daniel Lopes def Andre Erskine 6-2, 6-3
Men’s Over 45 Singles: Semifinals: Godfrey Lowden def Albert Razick 6-2, 6-1
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