As Pamela Binda, Public Relations and Marketing Manager of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited (GBTI), served the first ball to signal the start of Guyana’s premier tennis tournament, the GBTI Open Tournament, yesterday at the bank’s recreational facility.
Prior to opening the tournament, Binda reaffirmed the bank’s continuous support and commitment to the development of tennis locally. She said she is optimistic that the tournament would develop over the years; she is quite pleased with what has occurred over the past seven seasons of the tournament; and is looking forward to positive developments in this, the eighth staging of the tournament.
Jamal Goodluck, President of the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA), has expressed gratitude to the bank for the support received over the years, and has noted that this tournament is the hallmark off tennis in Guyana.
He said he expects positive developments from this event, and is looking towards a great outcome at the end of the tournament.
The two-week tournament will this year feature play in 13 categories, with the junior male division predicted to be the most competitive because of the presence of players of the likes of reigning champion Heimraj Resaul, Jordan Beaton, Mark McDonald and Joshua Kalekyezi, all vying for ‘the summit’ in this event.
The victors in the respective categories will be decided on court, but some key names will make competing for top honours in this year’s tournament very exciting and challenging.
Last year’s hysteria was in the ladies’ category, with arch-rivals Afruica Gentle and Nicola Ramdyhan going head-to-head in a final that ended in favour of the former. This time around, with Ramdyhan currently overseas enhancing her skills, the action in this category is predicted to be markedly less intense. Gentle, who recently won the Girls’ Under-18 Sheltez/Homesafe Security Independence Cup, is touted as the favourite to retain the title in the ladies’ category of this GBTI Tournament.
However, any lapse in her standard of play, such as occurred in the most recent match against one of her main rivals, Kalyca Fraser, could see her surrendering the title to prospects like Aretta Dey or Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan, or Cristy Campbell.
Unlike Gentle, Fraser is forecast to have very difficult times on the court against opponents like Sarah Klautky and Ciara Pooran. However, if Gentle disregards her eligibility to play in the junior girls’ category, Fraser will enter as favourite.
Reigning champion in the men’s open category, Anthony Downes, will have an additional hurdle to surpass if he is to maintain supremacy in this event. This segment will benefit from a coincidental visit from top player Daniel Lopes, who is also attending college in Florida; and Jason Andrews and Ronald Murray are also key contenders in this category.
This two-week tournament, organised by the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GTA), will see play in the Men’s Open Singles and Doubles; Ladies’ Open Singles and Doubles; Men’s Over-35 Singles and Doubles; Men’s Over-45 Singles and Doubles; Mixed Doubles; Junior Boys’ Open Singles; Junior Girls’ Open Singles, and Novice Medley Singles and Doubles.
Full results for the categories in the GLTA/GBTI Tennis Open 2016 were as follows: Girls’ Open Singles winner Kalyca Fraser, runner-up Shivani Persaud; Boys’ Open Singles winner Heimraj Resaul, runner-up Keenan Persaud; Men’s Open Singles winner Anthony Downes, runner-up Daniel Lopes; Ladies’ Open Singles winner Afruica Gentle, runner-up Nicola Ramdyhan; Men’s Open Doubles winners Anthony Downes/Harry Panday, runners-up Nicolas Fenty/Leyland Leacock; Ladies’ Open Doubles winner Cristy Campbell/Afruica Gentle, runners-up Aretta Dey/Nicola Ramdyhan; Mixed Open Doubles winners Anthony Downes/Afruica Gentle, runners-up Aretta Dey/Daniel Lopes; Men’s 35 and Over winner Leyland Leacock, runner-up Godfrey Lowden; Men’s 45 and Over winner Godfrey Lowden, runner-up Harry Panday; Novice Singles winner Asif Subhan, runner-up Devon Gonsalves; Novice Medley Doubles winners Patricia Hope/Martin Campbell, runners-up Asif Subhan/Devon Gonsalves.
