Junior Davis/Fed Cup teams decided
Jamaica’s 16 and under teams to participate in the Junior Davis and Fed Cup 16 and under competitions to be held from April 12-18 in El Salvador were decided after trials were held at Tennis Jamaica’s Eric Bell Tennis Centre last weekend.
Six boys — Atlanta-based Randy Phillips, Daniel Harris, Alex Anderson, Florida-based Nicholas Chung, Horatio Ludford and Simon Levy along with six girls — Shantal Blackwood, Michaelann Denton, Florida-based Nia Rose, Shalleta Haughton, Phadria Kepple and Shaddae Findley competed over the two days, vying for three spots on each team.
The players were placed in two groups of three players with round-robin played in each group, and the top two from each group moved through to the semi-finals.
In boys’ Group One action, Phillips won both his matches to emerge to the semi-final along with Chung, while in Group Two Harris won both his matches to advance to the semi-final along with Levy.
In the semi-finals, Phillips defeated Levy and Harris beat Chung, and then in a well-contested final, Phillips defeated Harris 6-3,4-6, 6-3. The boys team will consist of Randy Phillips, Daniel Harris and Nicholas Chung, who defeated Simon Levy to grab third Place.
Meanwhile, in the hotly contested girls action Nia Rose and Shaddae Findley advanced to the semi-finals from Group One, while Shantal Blackwood and Michaelann Denton advanced from Group Two. In the semi-finals Rose beat Denton 6-2, 6-4 and Blackwood overcame Findley 6-1, 6-2.
In a tight final, Blackwood came from a set down to beat Rose 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. The girls team will be Shantal Blackwood along with 13-year-olds, Nia Rose and Michaelann Denton, who clinched the third spot with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Shaddae Findley.