TENNIS: PAN CARIB Jamaica junior champs - Burke captures boys' U-18 singles crown

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Burke captures boys' U-18 singles crown

BRANDON BURKE put the finishing touches on an imposing performance at the Pan Caribbean Jamaica Junior Championships with yet another straight set victory, this time over number two seeded Macoy Malcolm, to lift the boys' Under-18 singles title at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre yesterday.

The win saw Burke, the number one ranked player, finish the tournament without dropping a set. Burke won the first set easy enough at 6-2, but found himself battling with Malcolm in the second, before getting the better of his opponent 7-6 by winning the tiebreaker 7-2.

In girls' Under-18 play, top seeded Simone Vranov Brown also continued her impressive form with a 6-0, 6-2 beating of fourth seeded Sicquena Sinclair in their semi-final.

Brown, who coasted through the first set, had minor difficulties in the second, following a much better showing by the underdog Sinclair who was spurred on by the crowd. In the other semi-final, Shantal Blackwood dug deep to get the better of Monique Hanson 7-6, 6-2.

easy win for brown

In girls' Under-16 action, top-ranked Lauren Vranov Brown had little trouble booking her place in the final as she eased by Hanson 6-1, 6-2. Sinclair had much better fortune in that category as she beat Sheleta Haughton 6-3, 6-4 to set up a showdown with Brown in today's final.

In the boys' Under-16 category, number two seeded Joseph Ross looked comfortable in his semi-final encounter, getting the better of Sheldon McIntosh 6-3, 6-1. Rowland Phillips survived a tough first set to get the better of third seeded Jordan Harris 7-5, 6-3 in the other semi-final