Daniel advances to semifinals, setting up semi-final showdown with Griffith

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In a thrilling match that went down to the wire, Antonio ‘Lil Man‘ Daniel staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Julian ‘Michael Jackson‘ White and advance to the semifinals of the 2024 Barbados Road Tennis Open.

Playing at the Dover Courts on Saturday night, the two rivals battled it out in a gruelling three-set match. Despite falling behind early in the first set 19-7, Daniel’s determination and skill allowed him to claw his way back and level the scores at 20-20 but lost 20-22. The comeback continued and Daniel won the second set 21-14 to force a decider.

The third set was a rollercoaster of emotions, with the lead changing hands several times. White, held a narrow advantage at 18-16. However, a brief delay by the request of White to have the court dried from sweat that had left the court wet on his side, provided Daniel, known for his powerful shots, with an opportunity to regroup and regain his composure.

Returning to the court, Daniel played with renewed energy, levelling the score at 18-18. He then took control of the match, winning the final three points to secure a dramatic 21-18 victory.

With his victory, Daniel has set up a highly anticipated semifinal match against top seed Mark ‘Venom’ Griffith. The clash between these two formidable players is sure to be a highlight of the tournament.

Griffith, who has been in dominant form throughout the tournament, easily dispatched Adrian Scott in his quarterfinal match, winning 21-8, 21-16.

However, there was a notable absence in the quarterfinals as Emar Edwards, one of the tournament favorites, forfeited his match due to national duties. This gave Curtis Jones an easy walkover to the semifinals, where he will face Dario Hinds.

Hinds defeated Davien ‘Force Ripe’ Taylor 16-21, 21-19, 21-19  in a nail-biting match, which looked like it was going the other direction.

The women’s division also saw some exciting action. Kim Holder defeated her daughter in straight sets 21-13, 21-12, while Maudlyn Blunt defeated Mari Cumberbatch 21-12, 21-12.

Also through to the semis is Rachel Smith who defeated Marvalene Neblett 21-16, 19-21, 21-19. (CG)