Saunders set to take Open title

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

TOP LOCAL senior players Nigella Saunders and Bradley Graham are expected to win the respective men's and women's titles in the Open division of the Cable and Wireless bMobile-sponsored All Jamaica Championships at the Constant Spring Golf Club badminton hall this weekend.

While Saunders, an Olympian is the clear favourite to win the women's title and should do so comfortably, Graham is expected to be challenged by overseas-based Charles Pyne.

Meanwhile, Vishwanauth Tolan affirmed his status as Jamaica's top male junior player by winning the triple crown.

Tolan, who also won the triple in the Under-19 category of last year's championships, easily got by Chadwick Parsons 15-10, 15-11 to win the first of his titles in the finals of the singles event. He then teamed up with Kyle Wong Chew Onn to come from behind and defeat the pair of Shawn Forrester and Nicholas Robinson 13-15, 15-9, 15-11 for the boy's doubles title.

To complete the sweep, he coupled with Shawnekka Phillips to successfully defend their title by defeating Nicholas Robinson and Shawnett Davis 15-12, 6-15, 15-11 in the finals of the mixed doubles event.

Phillips, however, failed in her bid to retain her triple crown when she was stopped in the finals of the singles event 11-3, 11-8 by Under-17 champion, Shenelle Peart. She, however, teamed up with Geordine Henry to defeat Peart and her teammate Hadei Kay Williams 15-3, 15-6.

The weekend, however, belonged to 12-year-old Mikaylia Haldane, after winning the triple crown in the Under 13 category in the previous weekend's play. The youngster went on to add the Under 15 triple crown to her list of accomplishments last weekend. In singles play she convincingly defeated Kerri-Ann Foster 11-3, 11-8.

She then teamed up with 11-year-old Shana-Kay Bailey to once again deny Foster and her teammate Joanna Ashmeade 15-6, 16-17, 15-13 in doubles action.

Mixed doubles play saw her team up with Gareth Henry to overcome Toussainte Taylor and Shana-Kay Bailey 15-3, 15-12.