ROLAND “Randy” Phillips and Katherine Dibbs were crowned Men’s and Women’s 2021 All-Jamaica Tennis Championships Open Singles champions after their respective finals at the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Sports Club and Eric Bell Tennis Centre on Sunday.

Phillips, the top seed in the men’s singles, defeated third-seeded Dwayne Pagon 6-1, 6-1 in 50 minutes at the NCB Sports Club after the event was unavoidably relocated to that venue due to rain and a lack of lighting amenities at Eric Bell Tennis Centre. He took the winner’s cash award of $250,000 while Pagon collected $125,000.

The losing semi-finalists each received $60,000, quarter-finalists $30,000, and the round-of-16 qualifiers earn $15,000 each.

Phillips was winning the men’s singles crown for the third time, having won in 2015 and 2018.

Earlier at the Eric Bell Centre, second-seeded Dibbs brushed aside top seed Shea-Ann Kameka 6-3, 6-1 to claim the top prize of $100,000 and the winner’s trophy. Kameka received $50,000. The two losing semi-finalists receive $25,000,

The 27-year-old Phillips, who resides in Florida, was happy at the end.

“It was a very special feeling for me to win, especially playing before my home crowd and my family. I really played well as I executed brilliantly throughout the final.”

Pagon, yet to win this crown after several attempts, congratulated Phillips on his outstanding victory.

“He played extremely well and was also the better player. However, I also played well and produced some good shots and returns and good rallies during the match. I am happy that I reached the final because I had played some good matches to reach the final.”

For Dibbs, proper preparations were the key to success. “Prior to the start of the tournament I was confident that I would have won because I know that I was much fitter than my opponents as I was always in training and going to the gym.

“After trailing Kameka 1-3 in the first set and then levelling the scores at 3-3, I began gaining the upper hand as she lost her composure — and I took charge of the match. The second set she never looked like playing as she made too many double faults, but I continued to play my game and won easily 6-3, 6-1,” added the 17-year-old Dibbs.

In the Men’s 40 and over, John Azar defeated Peter Berry 6-1, 7-5 to capture a cash prize of $100,000 and a trophy. Berry walked away with $50,000 and a trophy.

The Men’s Class Two singles final was won by Jevaughn Nembhard who beat Kyle Forrester 6-3, 7-5. Nembhard got a trophy and a weekend for two.

Rudolph Jackson was the winner of the Men’s Class Three singles final after beating Stewart Allen 6-1, 6-1. Jackson received a trophy and a weekend for two.

Second-seeded Imega McNab won the Ladies ‘B’ singles final when she defeated top seed and Jamaican Olympian Brigitte Foster-Hylton 6-4, 7-5. McNab received a trophy and a weekend for two.

Azar, president of Tennis Jamaica, had high praises for this year’s championships.

“The matches were excellent as I have seen a lot of promising players and [I’m] hoping that next year we will have many more tournaments like this.

“We have to thank the players, officials, supporters, and especially the sponsors who made it possible,” he said.