In keeping with their ongoing focus to enhance junior talent the Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) will send a batch of junior players to two international junior tournaments next month.
National coach Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan said that a number of players are in training in preparation for the annual St Vincent and the Grenadines Tennis Association (SVGTA) International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior internal and a 13-and-Under ITF Development Tour in Tobago.
The SVGTA tournament will be held from August 13–18 with qualifying draws beginning August 11.
Last year, Nicola Ramdyhan and Aretta Dey secured Guyana’s first wins at the tournament where Dey was the winner of the girls’ Under-14 category. She later teamed up with Ramdyhan to rule the girls’ under-14 doubles.
The tournament features competition in the under-14, under-16 and under-18 categories.
Players expected to attend this tournament include Ramdyhan (girls’ under-14) and Shawna Gentle, (girls 18-and-under) and Judah Stephaney, (boys 14-and-under) and Craig Campbell, (boys 18-and-under).
Dey, who has not been training for a few months, is not expected to attend the tournament.
In any case she would have been unable to defend her title since she is no longer eligible.
Several seasoned players have also opted out of the competitions due to academic and personal demands. This will be Campbell’s first international competition and the final year in the under-14 category for Ramdyhan.
Randyhan told Stabroek Sport that she was hopeful of walking away with the title this year after being runner-up to Dey.
“I’m trying to win this year. I want to win the title,” Ramdyhan said.
Three players will make their debuts in the international event for the 13-and-under development tournament. Afruica Gentle, in the girls and Khalid Gobin and Keshon Reece in the boys’ categories.
Reece and Gobin, Daly Ramdyhan pointed out, came into the sport through the schools programme run by the GTA.
Afruica Gentle, the younger sister of Shawna Gentle, is a very promising player and has been playing the sport since she was four-years-old. Apart from the competition, the tournament is expected to include a forum for coaches to share aspects of the sport such as nutrition and training.
The GTA has already held a number of fundraisers to finance the trips. Daly-Ramdyhan noted that the GTA will be receiving part-funding from the ITF for attendance to the developmental programme in Tobago.
In terms of preparation, Daly-Ramdyhan reported that the players have been training everyday in addition to their participation in the current GBTI Open.
