Ludford, Denton top Pan Caribbean Classic

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Defending champions Michaelann Denton and first-time champion Horatio Ludford emerged the toast of last weekend's 2010 PanCaribbean Bank Junior Tennis Classic at the Tryall Club in Hanover, taking home the female and male singles titles, respectively.

The 16-year-old Denton, who displayed dazzling form throughout the entire tournament, won in fine style, brushing aside the challenge of Shadae Findley by a comfortable 6-2, 6-4 wins in the final.

Ludford, Montego Bay's top junior player at age 16, started shakily in the male singles final against Oshane Trail, dropping the first set 2-6. However, he roared back strongly to win the next two sets 6-2, 7-5 to lift the coveted title.

Double champions

Interestingly, both Denton and Ludford emerged as double champions, as they also won the male and female Under-16 titles, respectively. Ludford easily defeated Jacob Bicknell 6-3, 6-1 for the boys' title, while Denton upstaged Shae-Ann Kameka 6-0, 6-1 in the female equivalent.

In the Under-14 category, Shaeda Nickle emerged the girls' champion, while Dimitri Bird took the boys' crown. Nickle upset number-one seed Shae-Ann Kameka, 6-2, 6-2 for her title, while Bird, who surprised number-one seed Luke Therrien 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the semi-finals, trounced Neils Van Dam 6-3, 6-0 for the boys' title.

Olyvia Chin, last year's beaten finalist in the girl's Under-12, went one better this year, knocking off number-one seed Iesha Sterling by a dominant 6-0, 6-0 margin. Neils Van Dam won the boys' equivalent, beating Blaise Bicknell 6-0, 6-2.

According to tournament referee Simon Casserly, the two-day event proved quite interesting as it once again demonstrated that tennis at the junior level is alive and well in Jamaica.