Emar Edwards installed himself as one to watch in the Barbados Road Tennis Open with a clinical and impressive win over Dwayne Lynch on Sunday night.
Edwards, who is playing in his first road tennis competition in several years, dismissed Lynch 21-18, 21-11, in a superb display at the Belfield road tennis courts.
The scoreline did not accurately depict the intensity and quality of the match, as Lynch regularly wowed the crowd on hand with an array of shots, with the two players regularly engaging in lengthy rallies.
In the first game Edwards opened up a commanding lead at 17-9 and the possibility of inflicting a ‘sow’ on his opponent looked possible.
However, Lynch staged an improbable comeback, to climb within two points at 20-18, before Edwards eventually closed out the contest.
The second game also followed the same script, with Edwards establishing a lead in the early stages. However, there was no fightback this time around and Edwards closed out the match in straight sets.Â
Margo Lord plays a stylish forehand shot.Â
Dwaine Hope also advanced to the round of 16 with a dominant 21-11, 21-11, victory over Shaquille Bellamy, while number two seed Shakeem Nurse also booked his spot with a straights set 21-13, 21-7, demolition of Julian Ju Ju Collymore.
However, Shamon Weekes was made to come from behind before defeating the left-handed Shawn Spencer 13-21, 21-17, 21-18.
The night also saw the commencement of the women’s draws.
Krystal Harewood was in a no-nonsense mood during her 21-6, 21-12, dismissal of Grace Gill, Maria Cumberbatch handed Nicolette Brathwaite two ‘sows’ 21-6, 21-4, and Denise Collymore defeated Maranda Manning 21-18, 21-13.
One of the most thrilling women’s matches of the evening featured Margo Lord and Asabi Downey, which went the distance, with Downey eventually winning 18-21, 21-14, 21-14.
The opening game was quite close in the initial stages, with the scores locked at 6. Downey and Lord exchanged leads throughout, until Lord grabbed the momentum late on by building a four-point lead on her way to securing the win.
The medical team was called for Lord between games, although no intervention was necessary, and she continued with the match.
Downey bounced back in the second game with a more aggressive approach, sensing that all was not right with Lord. Employing a strategy of moving the ball
from left to right, Downey went on a 5-0 run to secure a 12-10 lead, which she never relinquished to level the match at 1-1.
In the decisive third game, Downey continued with her successful game plan, taking a 10-6 lead as the players switched ends.
Despite her best efforts, Lord was unable to close the gap and Downey closed out the match to advance to the round of 16. (CG)
