National junior squash players Kayla and Keisha Jeffrey, enjoyed a commanding tournament run last weekend at the Ontario Open Junior Squash Tournament in White Oaks Ontario, Canada, where they swept aside their competitors to meet each other in the finals.
The local twin sisters each raced through four rounds of competition to stage an all-Guyanese final, which two- time Caribbean champion Keisha would eventually win 3-0.
Keisha dominated through the earlier rounds of the competition and lost only one game on the path to a victorious run in this overseas tournament, while Kayla was flawless until she fell to the prowess of her sister in the finals.
In the first round, Keisha defeated Jenifer Klein in straight games while Kayla received a bye to advance to the 2nd round.
Although Kayla’s first encounter seemed to be a formidable opponent in number three seed Emily Richmond, Kayla dispatched her 3-0 in a timely manner and then looked on to watch her sister Keisha send Brooke Ruskin packing in similar fashion.
The 14-year old twin sisters had their work cut out for them in the semifinal round as Kayla drew the number two seed Dileas McGowan while Keisha met the number one seed Gillian Baker.
Kayla would again prevail in straight games against McGowan while number one seed Baker, who eventually finished third in the tournament, put up a challenge and managed to steal one game before Keisha forced her departure from the competition.
Keisha overcame Kayla 9-6, 9-5, 9-5 in the final for her first title in a North American squash tournament.
Stabroek News understands that the girls had been spending their Easter vacation with their older sister in Ontario, when their mother, Denise Jeffrey learned about the tournament and encouraged them to participate.
“The girls were not training specifically for this tournament or anything like that, in fact it was just a coincidence that I learned that the tournament was being held during the course of their stay and I urged them to just give it a try so that they can gain some experience and I am delighted that they did well,” she said.
The girls are scheduled to return on Saturday, which means that they will have to sit out of the Smalta Easter Junior Squash Tournament which the Guyana Squash Association began last night at the Georgetown Club.
