Comeback king Marshall reaches final

Not for the first time, defending champion Kaipo Marshall came from a set down in the Barbados Tennis Association Top 8 tournament to turn back Xavier Lawrence in Wednesday’s semi-final match at the National Tennis Centre in Wildey.

The 18-year-old Marshall slumped to a 3-6 defeat in the opening set but as he has done three times previously in the tournament, rebounded to win the second set 7-5.

He was leading 4-2 in the decisive last set when Lawrence, last year’s runner-up, was forced to retire with cramps.

In Thursday’s final, Marshall will now clash with the experienced Haydn Lewis who beat Stephen Slocombe Jr in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3,

“Coming back from a set down three times is definitely commendable but I wouldn’t say ideal at all,” he told Barbados TODAY afterwards.

“When you come out you want to win the first set but this shows when I start a little rusty, I’m able to find my way back, change up my game and adapt. I am really happy I was able to do that.”

It was as intense a contest as imaginable as the two brought their A-game on court two of the Tennis Centre.

Lawrence, a Prairie View A&M University graduate who was in search of redemption after losing to Marshall last year, took an early 3-2 lead in the opening set but Marshall refused to back down.

The son of Olympian O’Neal Marshall, the former St. Michael School student broke Lawrence to equalise 3-3. It was at that stage things began to intensify.

Focused on what was at stake, both players showed they were not about to surrender easily, producing strong attacking tennis that kept the modest crowd entertained.

Lawrence unleashed several brilliant backhand winners to punish Marshall before going on to capture the opening set impressively.

Similar to the first set, Lawrence went ahead 2-1 and 3-2 and once again the pressure mounted on Marshall as a fired-up Lawrence brought a level of energy to the court.

However, serving at 3-4 down Marshall broke Lawrence to draw level at 4-4 and with the scores locked at 5-5, he held his nerve to go on and win the tie-break.

Lawrence, who went down clutching his right leg in the second set, struggled again with cramps in the third set and his limited movement thereafter comfortably put the contest in Marshall’s favour.

In the first women’s semi-final, defending champion Gabrielle Leslie breezed into the final with a 6-2, 6-1 straight sets win over Serena Bryan.

Speaking afterwards, Leslie said she was happy with her result and was looking forward to the final.

“My plan is to be more consistent and get more first serves,” she said.

Leslie will play Hannah Chambers in the final after the latter beat Asha King in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 in the other women’s semi-final.