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2023 Champions Sail into the Round of 16
Defending champions Mark “Venom” Griffith and Sheldene Walrond are through to the next round of the Barbados Road Tennis Open 2024.
Playing before a good crowd at Belfield St Michael last night, Griffith the defending men’s champion, hardly broke a sweat as he clinically dispatched Corey Mayers 21-6, 21-6, inside of 14 minutes.
However, women’s champion Sheldene Walrond dropped a game against Samantha Rogers, before exhibiting all the class and qualities of a champion to sail through to the round of 16.
Walrond comfortably won the first game against Rogers 21-6, but in a quick turnaround, Rogers grabbed the lead of 11-9 in the second game and never relinquished it winning 21-14.
In the deciding third game Walrond turned up the heat on all cylinders rushing to a 12-3 lead before securing victory 21-11. In the end, Walrond was simply too strong and emerged victorious 21-6, 14-21, 21-11 in just under half an hour.
Also on Saturday night’s card at Belfield, Antonio “Lil Man ” Daniel dug deep to beat Shaquan Henry 21-17, 21-19 in an exhibition of classical tennis.
Daniel won the first game 21-17, but Henry roared back, taking control in the second game to lead 17-13 at one stage before Daniel staged a decisive comeback, reeling off shot after shot to win the match-up 21-19 much to the delight of the tennis fans gathered.
But the most entertaining and exciting game of the night saw Jayden Mayers opposing Mosai Williams. Williams took the first game 21-13 within ten minutes, but Mayers stormed right back to win the second game 21-19.
With spectators on their feet and honours up for grabs in the decisive third game, the match ebbed and flowed changing leads on numerous occasions before being tied at 20-20.
Again the game see-sawed as both men pressed for the victory, but in the end Mayers held his nerves and secured the win, 25-23, in an epic encounter.
The final score to Mayers was 13-21, 21-19, 25-23 in just over 50 minutes of high quality tennis action.
In other games, Julian “Michael Jackson” White defeated Shamon Weekes 21-18, 21-12, in a match carried over from Dover, Christ Church.
Maria Cumberbatch also won by default against Jessica Holder Vaughan.
Gail-Ann Edwards was too good for Krystal Harewood comfortably winning 21-11, 21-17, whilst Juliet Worrell was always in control over Denise Collymore defeating her 21-17, 21-16.
One of the pre-tournament favourites, Emar Edwards was barely out of second gear to defeat Jael Greaves in straight sets 21-10, 21-13.
However, in the nightcap, one of the seeded players Dwayne Lynch was upset by teenager Azarie Clarke, who looked in superb form as he won 21-19, 21-8 to advance to the next round of the BRTO OPEN 2024.
The action in the BRTO OPEN 2024, switches to Silver Hill, Christ Church at 6:30 pm on Sunday, August 18th.
