― Ramdyhan captures girls’ Under-18 title
Yesterday the 2016 edition of the Bakewell Junior Tennis tournament concluded with a simple closing ceremony at the National Racquet Centre where the top finishers were honoured.
Number one junior female tennis prodigy Nicola Ramdyhan bow out of Bakewell’s junior competition with the Girls’ under 18 title. She defeated Kalyca Fraser in the finals of that category.
Fraser and Sarah Klautky are definitely going to be the players to look for in the junior category in Ramdyhan’s absence. Fraser won the Under 14 title while Klautky top the under 12s.
In the Boys’ under 14 division Joshua Kalkyezi stunned his field to capture the crown, upsetting number two seed Jordan Beaton during the process. His younger sibling Jeremiah Kalekyezi won the under 12 title.
Meanwhile, it was fierce rivalry between Mark McDonald and Heimraj Resaul for the Boys under 18 title. However, Resaul put in a sterling performance in a competitive encounter to emerge as victor for the first time in that category of the Bakewell tournament.
Speaking at the closing ceremony President of the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA), Jamal Goodluck thanked the sponsor for the continuous support the GLTA continues to receive to ensure this tournament is an annual activity on the GLTA’s calendar of activity.
“Over the course of the years it’s really been a tournament that we would have keep an eye on and come to hold dearly to our hearts at the GLTA and it is going to continue being a part of our agenda for the next year and as we go forward as a tennis association.”
He added that the tournament give an insight to what the GLTA potential next juniors and seniors would look like and for that he was also in high praise for the sponsor.
Following Goodluck, was the tournament chairman Robert Bostwick, who said the tournament was a successful one which has seen a sizeable number of participants, who have maintained a high level of discipline and competitiveness. He encouraged the youths to continue playing the sport because with their presence the future looks bright for the sport.
Manager of Bakewell Jacob Nanan in his brief remarks pledge his entity continuous support to ensure the tournament survive while urging the players to priorities their education since it is very important to their development.
The tournament started on Saturday September 24 and concluded on Sunday October 9, with the matches mostly played at the National Racquet Centre and President’s College Tennis Court. It was the third edition of the tournament which was born in 2014 in honour of the late Chief Executive Officer of Bakewell, Naeem Nasir and it usually coincide with his death anniversary.The former CEO, Nasir was a dedicated fan and supporter of the sport.
The following is the list of top two finishers in each category: Boys under 12- winner Jeremiah Kalekyezi, runner up VedeananResaul. Girls under 12- winner Sarah Klautky, runner up Akilah Jones. Boys under 14-winner Joshua Kalekyezi, runner up Viraj Sharma. Girls under 14- winner Kalyca Fraser, runner up Sarah Klautky. Boys under 18- winner HeimrajResaul, runner up Mark McDonald. Girls under 18- winner Nicola Ramdyhan, runner up Kalyca Fraser.
Subsequent to the presentation the executives of the GLTA set off to finalize a squad for the Tennis Inter Guiana Games (IGG) which will be held in French Guiana later this month.
