On Thursday evening Leyland Leacock hammered Godfrey Lowden to become the Men’s 35 and Over Champion as action continued in the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry (GBTI) Independence Golden Jubilee tournament at GBTI Recreational Facility Bel-Air park in the city.
Afruica Gentle (left) and Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan
In a very one sided affair, dropped just one game in defeating Lowden in straight sets, 6-0 6-1 to lift the title.
Afruica Gentle defeated Shely Daly-Ramdyhan to set a date with Nicola Ramdyhan in the finals of the Ladies’ Finals. The match kicked off with Gentle breaking Daly’s service game to lead at 1-0. Gentle held a grip on her service game to produce a break in the first set at 2-0. With heavy grunts and finesse, Gentle trailed Daly to 4-0 by breaking service and holding her service game. Serving at 0-4, Daly held serve to win first game of the match. Shockwaves were sent to Gentle as Daly secured yet another game by breaking Gentle’s service game. Consistency and experience aided Daly to hold service to produce a one game difference of 3-4.
Struggling to maintain her dominance, Gentle widened the gap at 5-3. Serving at 3-5, Daly’s unrelenting fervor resulted in a hold on serve and consequent break of Gentle’s service to bring score to 5-5. With the change of events making it too close to call it anyone’s set, Daly resorted to tactical play to hold serve and to break her opponent’s serve to capture the set at 7-5.
Rumbling through the second set, both players had their eyes on the finish line to the finals. With the first game of the set lasting some twenty minutes, Gentle broke Daly’s serve to lead at 1-0. The break in set came as Gentle held serve at 2-0. Unaffected by this play, Daly sought to even the games by holding her serve to bring score to 1-2. Gentle and Daly traded service holds as Gentle rose to 3-1, with Daly serving at 1-3 to bring games to 2-3. The gears of the match shifted as Gentle’s power and resilience rewarded her winning a three game haul to clinch the set at 6-3.
Afrruica Gentle advanced to the finals by dominating the third set at 6-0, resulting in an overall score of 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.
In the night’s other encounter, Men’s Open Doubles Quarterfinals A. Downes/H. Panday defeated D. Lopes/N. Glasgow 7-6, 6-7, 6-4
On Wednesday evening Kalyca Fraser defeated Shivani Persaud to seize the coveted Girls Open Singles title. Fraser, known for her great technique, served to hold her first game, much to the expectation of the spectators. Persaud’s consistency was evident as she served and held to bring the games to 1-1. The players continued to hold their service games until their last tie in the first set at 4-4. Serving at 4-4, this technique allowed her to win her service game to lead Persaud at 5-4. The set, characterized by grueling rallies, was won by Fraser after she broke Persaud’s service game.
The players traded service holds in the second set up to 2-2, causing tennis fans to expect the match to go to a third set. Persaud struggled to maintain the trend, if not lead her opponent. Though both players were exhausted, as fate would have it, Fraser mustered the zeal to claim the second set hers by winning a whopping four consecutive games. At 6-4, 6-2, Kalyca Fraser
was crowned Girls Open Singles champion.
In other results, Mixed Open Doubles Semifinals: G. Lowden/S. Daly def D. Fraser/K. Fraser 6-0, 6-0, , A. Downes/A. Gentle def J. Beaton/C. Pooran 6-0, 6-1, Novice Medley Singles Semifinals: Devon Gonsalves def Brian Primo 6-0.
Matches for June 15 were rescheduled to be held on the weekend due to inclement weather.
