Jamaica, T&T, Bermuda win ITF Under-14 opener

Jamaica, as well as hosts Trinidad & Tobago and Bermuda all made winning starts, when the World Junior Under-14 Tennis Championships North/Central American and Caribbean qualifying zone tournament opened yesterday.



Bermuda and Jamaica won their ties, both by 2-1 margins, while Guyana, Antigua & Barbuda, and Grenada tasted defeat all by 3-0 margins.



For Jamaica, Simon Levy outgunned Nicaragua’s Vincente Moncada 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 and Andrew Bicknell overcame Gustavo Roman, 6-7, 6-2, 7-5 for a 2-0 win in Group 3 before the duo surrendered the doubles match, 3-6, 2-6 to Francisco Bandana and Moncada.



Barbadian Jared Spencer had given his team a 1-0 lead over Bermuda when he defeated Adam Turner, 7-6, 3-6, 6-1 in Group Four.



Christopher Rego whipped Gregory Hinkson 6-0, 6-2 however, to level the match at 1-1 before he paired with Evan Hughes to outlast Barbadians, Hinkson and Gavin Hutchinson 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 and take the tie 2-1.



For T&T, Scott Lanser continued his good form as he led the team to a 3-0 sweep of Panama in Group 1 which also includes Dominican Republic.



At the end of the tournament, only the champions in each category will advance to the next phase to meet the hosts United States, as well as Canada and Mexico in Boca Raton, Florida, from April 30 to May 2.



From the tournament in Florida, the top two teams will then qualify for the World Junior Tournament in Prostejov, Czech Republic, in August.