Veteran Malcolm stops top junior

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

The Hi-Pro Ace Supercentre Tennis Open being staged at the Liguanea Club served up another fascinating encounter on yesterday's third day, when Nicholas Malcolm and top junior player Daniel Harris engaged in a one hour and 41 minutes duel before the former prevailed 6-2, 7-6.

In the first set, Malcolm broke Harris' serve and followed that up by holding his own serve to take a 2-0 lead. Harris then held his next two serves to be down at 3-2. Malcolm, who is seeded eighth in the tournament, won the following three games to comfortably take the first set 6-2.

Malcolm would not have things his own way in the second set, however, as Harris gave a much better showing. The set was eventually decided by a tiebreak after both players held their serves for 6-6. The tiebreak was as keenly contested as the set itself, but Malcolm held his nerve to triumph 7-5, taking the set 7-6 (5) and the match two sets to nil.

The 35-year-old Malcolm was pleased with getting his first win under his belt, having not competed for a while.

"I haven't been playing much, but because I am a competitor and I love playing tournaments, when I heard of the tournament I decided that despite not much practice I had to get out anyhow," Malcolm said.

In the other matches completed at press time, the top seed Damion Johnson easily brushed aside the challenge of Eugene O'Connell 6-1, 6-0.

Second win

The number-two seed Devin Mullings out of Bahamas wrapped up his second win of the tournament, as he turned back Jamaica's Winfried Weinbeer 6-2, 6-0. Brandon Burke, who is seeded at number three, had an identical win over Horatio Ludford (6-2, 6-0) in a match which lasted a mere 45 minutes.

Fifth-seed Macoy Malcolm was also comfortable in getting by Stephen Steele 6-2, 6-2.

In women's action, Jamaica's former junior Davis Cup representative Simone Vranov-Brown, who now plays for the United States, got the better of local girl Fion Fletcher 6-4, 6-1.