Top seeds hold their own on opening day

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

THERE WERE few surprises as the top-ranked players, for the most part, held their ground on day one of the Pan Caribbean Jamaica Junior Tennis Championships at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre yesterday.

Rowland Phillips, the number one-ranked player in the boys' 14 category, was in a no-nonsense mood as he dismissed Max Pragnell 8-0. Number two Ryan Simms was just as convincing as he got by Bryan Fenton 8-1.

However, third-seeded Adam Henriques had a much tougher time as he had to battle to 7-7 with Romario Moncrieffe before winning the tiebreaker 7-2.

Secure wins

Ferdy Yap-Sam (number five seed) was also among those registering wins as he got by Dylan Levy 8-3, while Simon Levy (number seven) defeated Jovaughn Mullings 8-3.

Andrew Bicknell, the top seed in the boys' 12 category, also managed to secure a win in the Under-14 division when he slipped by Horacio Ludford 13-11 in a tiebreaker.

In boys' 16 play, Simms came from a set down and saved a couple of match points before getting the better of an overly cautious Markos Frank 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10). A visibly nervous George Casserly, who blasted in some big serves to put some pressure on sixth-seeded Daniel Harris, lost out to the pencil-thin left hander 6-1, 6-3.

Second-seeded Joseph Ross whipped Dillan Brennan 6-0, 6-0 while third-ranked Jordan Harris also booked his spot in the next round when he defeated Yap-Sam 6-0, 6-1.

Boys' encounters

In the boys' 12 section, Haell Hanson, Dominic Shoucair and Hunter Villard all moved to the next round as their opponents failed to show up. In the lone boys' 18 encounter, Alex Goldson got by Ryan Obryan 6-3, 6-3.

In girls' 16 action, third-seeded Sicquena Sinclair defeated Analise Moseley 6-0, 6-0 while Monique Hanson (the number four seed) also advanced as her opponent did not show for the game. The competition continues at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre today at 9 a.m.