PLAYERS from the Cayman Islands, St Lucia and Grenada are among the 75 entrants down to participate in the Gore Homes Blue Mountain Caribbean Junior Lawn Tennis Championships between July 13-19 at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston.

The junior tournament will see boys and girls competing in four age groups in the Under-12, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 categories.

Leroy Brown, Tennis Jamaica’s honorary secretary, said lawn tennis is currently focusing on the youth.

“This is bringing the Caribbean together,” said Brown at the launch yesterday. “We are welcoming you for the competition but I know the aim of our players is to win the tournament.”

He continued: “Once you get them start early they can go on to great things. We have seen where sport is now an option as a profession, and even more so in tennis.”

Brown, a boxing expert, umpire and a member of the Jamaica Boxing Board, highlighted the recent exploits of Dustin Brown, a Jamaican now representing Germany at the prestigious Wimbledon championship.

The 28-year-old Brown, ranked 189, knocked off the 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and made it to the last 16. Brown, who was born in Germany, but raised in Jamaica, won 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 for his biggest victory of his career.

According to Leroy Brown, Dustin Brown, who switched allegiance to play for Germany in 2010, earned US$94,000 for his effort, while eventual champion Andy Murray pocketed over US$2m.

“This shows you that tennis is something worthwhile and something that can be a profession down the road,” he said to the many youngsters at the launch.

“Junior tennis in Jamaica is in good hands. We are happy that the sponsors have confidence in the sport and Tennis Jamaica,” Brown concluded.

Meanwhile, Ruthven Ottey, Gore’s general manager, handed over the sponsorship cheque, but refused to divulge information about the financial value of the deal.

“We support youth development in Jamaica; we support the development of Jamaica on a whole. We acknowledge that sport is very important to us. It is a unifying thing with our people,” said Ottey.

“Through sports the country can achieve, and because this is a sporting event, we consider it to be very significant. We believe that supporting this tournament we are strengthening tennis in Jamaica, and therefore we stand ready and willing to assist,” he noted.

“We believe that the sport will continue to grow and be successful in producing many world-class players to come,” added Ottey.

He continued: “The aim is to allow junior players in the Caribbean to get the opportunity to develop their skills by competing with each other.”

An exciting itinerary is in store for the players . Following the first practice session on Sunday, they are scheduled to have dinner at Scotchies Jerk Restaurant with the matches serving off on Monday at 9:00 am through to 5:00 pm.

Then there’s another dinner treat, this time at the home of sponsors Chris Gore between 7:00 and 9:00 pm on Monday. On Tuesday evening they will have lunch at Chez Maria on Hillcrest Avenue, courtesy of Nicola Bicknell. Matches will conclude early on Wednesday to accommodate a visit to the Bicknell’s home for lunch and entertainment involving swimming, football and games between 12:00-5:00 pm.

Thursday will be semi-final day followed by dinner at The Pines planned by Nancy Pinchas. Friday will start with some warm-up matches at 8:30 am followed by the finals, prize-giving and wet and wild fun at the Liguanea Club.