Opening on the best of notes all three of Guyana’s budding tennis stars – Aretta Dey, Nicola Ramdyhan and Daniel Lopes – recorded wins in the opening events of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) 13-and-Under Caribbean Development Championships that began on Monday in Curacao.
Contesting in the girls division in a group of three players, Ramdyhan took her inaugural win from Marilene Willemse. Ramdyhan dealt Willemse a stern beating to have the Antiguan succumb as Ramdyhan reaped 4 – 1, 4 – 1 success.
Ramdyhan was next scheduled to compete against Antiguan D’Jeri Raymond during yesterday’s session of the event.
Having most recently played against Raymond with the less favored outcome, Ramdyhan will be looking to reform her past performance against this Antiguan. It was Raymond who was responsible for Ramdyhan’s elimination from the ITF Junior Tennis Tournament that was held in St Vincent and the Grenadines earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Dey constructed a balanced record snatching a win against Chelsea Haslam before tumbling to defeat against Natascha Esschenda. Despite much resistance from her Vincentian adversary, Dey artfully led Haslam to her demise, as she tasted victory on the nick of a tie break.
Opening with a grand 4 -1 take of the first set, it was Dey who took to the lesser end of the 4 – 2 second set. Sensing the finality of the third, the two pressured through hunting after every game to send the set to a tie breaker 4 – 4 (14 -12), which ended in Dey’s favour. Against Esschenda, Dey lost 4 – 1, 4 – 2.
Over in the boys division, Lopes led the clan with his two wins in just as many games, and it was Trinidad that was on the receiving end of both of Lopes’ thrashing. Jahrell Massicott was the first obstacle on Lopes’ path to the top and he was easily tossed aside as Lopes treated him to the equivalent of a double bagel. Taking the first set 4 – 0, Lopes returned to replicate his performance in the second set, to make a quick game of the match.
Lopes next moved on to plough down Gianluc Robinson with a slick 4 – 1, 4 – 2 win. Continuing on his path Lopes yesterday took on St Lucian Tjimon Louisy.
The tournament, which features the participation of players from over 14 regional countries, is the third for the month that Guyana’s junior tennis players, selected by the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association, is attending.
