Favourites Shakeem Nurse and Azarie Clarke expectedly captured the senior and junior boys’ titles respectively, but Ranesha Stewart created the biggest smash when the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust Easter Junior Road Tennis tournament climaxed on Saturday night.
Playing at the road tennis courts in Belfield, Nurse continued his dominance over arch-rival Tyrease Holder with a 21-17, 21-19 win in the boys’ 18-21 division, while Clarke was pushed all the way by southpaw Jael Greaves before emerging victorious in the boys’ 15-17 division, 21-19, 21-18.
However, it was Stewart’s come-from-behind 16-21, 21-19, 21-18 win over perennial girls’ 16 and Under champion Kezia Blunt that created the biggest buzz.
The opening game was close early on as both players searched for their rhythm.
But from a score of 12-11, a series of unforced errors by Stewart and spectacular forehand passing shots by Blunt, allowed her to extend her lead to 17-12 which she duly converted into victory.
The second game was also tightly contested with Stewart holding the advantage for its majority.
Despite that dominance, Blunt seemed headed for another title when an unforced error by Stewart gave her a 19-18 lead.
But Stewart unleashed a powerful forehand passing shot to tie the score, before Blunt committed two easy unforced errors to hand the game to her opponent.
With the momentum in her favour, Stewart took control of the third and decisive contest rushing out to a 15-9 lead.
Blunt, though, went on a 7-1 run to lock the scores at 16 to set up a mouthwatering finish.
However, Stewart held her composure to finish the match when Blunt sent her backhand shot wide.
It sparked wild celebrations and Stewart, who broke down in tears, was embraced by her coach Kim Holder, one of the island’s most dominant female players.
Earlier, Clarke needed to be at his best to defeat Greaves.
Greaves, who employed a ploy of targeting his opponent’s forehand, actually led 14-11 in the first game.
Clarke fought back to level the score at 15 and the scores remained locked right up to 19, with both players exhibiting a high level of tennis laced with rasping forehand and backhand shots.
But two unforced errors by Greaves allowed Clarke to win the game and take a 1-0 lead.
The second game followed almost the same blueprint as the first, with Greaves holding a 12-8 advantage, only for Clarke to draw level at 13.
The scores remained locked up to 16, but two more unforced errors by Greaves gave Clarke the initiative at 18-16.
It was a lead he would not relinquish, and Greaves’ backhand into the net ended the contest to give Clarke the title.
In the senior boys’ division, Nurse was not at his clinical best but did just enough to conquer Holder.
Holder would have been disappointed not to have won the opening set having led 17-14.
Instead, Nurse won seven straight points, punctuated with several forehand passing shots, which sent the large crowd on hand into a frenzy.
In the second game, Nurse committed numerous unforced errors with his forehand as he tried to attack his opponent.
Those mistakes kept the game close, with good defensive play by Holder allowing him to tie the score at 17-17.
With Nurse leading 20-19, an ill-advised crosscourt forehand attempt by Holder crashed into the net to give his opponent, the island’s number two ranked player, the victory.
In other results Kenoja Belgrave defeated Tyrico Brathwaite 21-18, 21-16 to win the boys’ 11-14 division, Nyall Bushell claimed the primary school boys’ title with a 21-18, 21-19 win over Devonte Gill and Jakara Archer was crowned the primary school girls’ champion after she defeated Sariah Howell 21-17, 17-21, 21-16.
