Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Hoping to put skills sharpened by a two-year stint at the International Tennis Academy (ITA) to good use, former junior prodigy Christopher Lawson bids to represent Jamaica in the upcoming Davis Cup tie.

Crowned Pan Caribbean All-Jamaica champion after an impressive showing as a junior one year ago, Lawson has been a student at the American Heritage School in Florida - part of the ITA.

Adjustment overseas

Despite having taken part in several local tournaments prior to his move abroad, the player admits that it took some time to find his footing at the overseas school.

"It was a really tough adjustment for me. The level of concentration and fitness that is required was totally different than what I was used to," Lawson told The Gleaner at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre. "Overall, it is just a lot more work and discipline that you have to put in."

Despite not taking part in this year's edition of the Pan Caribbean tournament as he is no longer a junior, Lawson, the defending champion was a specially invited guest at the launch of the event on Tuesday.

Having relinquished his status as a junior, Lawson believes he is beginning to find his niche and looks forward to putting what he has learnt into action.

"I think I managed to adjust to the work it required in a couple of months at ITA," he said. "Right now, I'm a lot more disciplined, my game and my fitness level has improved and I am looking forward to showing that."

Having completed his time with the ITA, Lawson is finalising plans to attend college in September.

No easy task

With a long list of Jamaica's players plying their trade abroad, many already with Davis Cup experience, such as Dominic Pagon, Damion Johnson, possibly Eldad Campbell and a young, but very in-form Burke, securing a spot on the four-man team will be no easy task for Lawson.

If he is to achieve his goal, the player will need an impressive showing at the Bank of Nova Scotia-sponsored Top 16 tourna-ment, which started yesterday at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre.

Jamaica were relegated to the Davis Cup Americas Zone Group Three after losing to the Netherland Antilles last year. This year's tie will serve off in Honduras on the 14th of July.