JAMAICA found the going tough in boys’ and girls’ 18 singles as the 2015 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Jamaica Junior International Tournament got underway at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre yesterday.

The boys’ and girls’ 18 and 14 singles continue this morning starting at 9:00 with the second round of matches.

So far only one Jamaican, Andrew Bicknell, has advanced to the second round of the boys’ 18 when he defeated Wilhelm Labrador of France in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (tie-breaker 8-6).

Blaise Bicknell had to retire from the first set, trailing 0-4 to Edson Ortiz Tavar of Mexico, while Cliff Dwyer of Jamaica also lost in two sets, 6-2, 6-3 to Dimitri Bird of the United States in the boys’ 18 singles first round.

Meanwhile, at press time the two Jamaican girls were knocked out of the girls’ 18 singles first round. Selena Blythe was no match for the top seed Kariann Pierre-Louis of the US, going down 6-0, 6-0, while Shaeda Nickle lost in straight sets 6-4, 6-0 to Salma Ewing also of the US.

— Gerald Reid