Top juniors to face off at Eric Bell today

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

JAMAICA'S TOP juniors will match their talents against overseas counterparts when the Pan Caribbean All-Jamaica Junior tennis championships serve off at 8:00 a.m. at the Eric Bell Centre today.

Top Florida-based junior, 14-year-old Simone Vranov-Brown, will lead the contingent of overseas-based players who will also be preparing to gain valuable ranking points in the ITF-sanctioned Jamaica Junior Tennis tournament in a week's time.

Brown, who will play in the girls' 18 and over-age group, is heavily favoured to secure that title but local players Calissia Reid and Shaneka Knight should pose a serious challenge. Lauren Vranov-Brown, Simone's younger sister, will attempt to dominate the girls' 16 and under category.

Wide open

With the absence of defending champion Eldad Campbell from this year's event, the boys' 18 category should be a wide open one. Last year's runner-up, Christopher Lawson, will hope to move a step higher up the podium this year but could be hard-pressed by in-form junior Brandon Burke. Local players Adam Vaz and McKoy Malcolm will also be looking to make an impact in the draw.

The three-day tournament, the most recent edition in the series which has been a fixture of the Jamaican tennis landscape for almost 40 years, also sees the youngsters compete in the traditional 10, 12, 14 and doubles categories.

The tournament's formatwill see players in the 10 and 12 and under categories play first to eight games in the early rounds. The 14, 16 and 18 and under age groups will play two sets and then a tiebreaker for the third if necessary. In a twist to the tournament this year, each player will be required to umpire two games.