Creditable performance for team SVG in regional tennis tournament

Upon successful completion of the recently concluded International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior tournament in St. Vincent and the Grenadines last week, the SVG Tennis Association is proud to announce the participation of a national team {{more}} in the ITF 13 & Under Caribbean Development Championships which took place in Curacao from 23rd – 28th August, 2010. This tournament represents a significant place in the calendar of regional tournaments as it is the only developmental Tennis tournament for this critical age group in the region.

Representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines were Junior Tennis players Sebastian Cyrus, Chelsea Haslam and I-Mani King. Training Coach in SVG was Peter Nanton of Bonan Tennis School and traveling coach and chaperon was Mark Cyrus. Players were selected based on the Under-14 national rankings and age requirements after the conclusion of the SVGTA Summer National Tennis tournament in July.

I-mani King placed fourth in the competition which included twenty six competitors. I-mani lost in the semi-finals of the main draw to the eventual winner of the competition from Bermuda. Sebastian Cyrus placed 23rd in the Boys competition and Chelsea Haslam placed 18th in the Girls competition. In the Boys doubles, the Vincentian team reached the quarter-finals.

Team SVG performed creditably in placing seventh overall in the fourteen-country field. This was an improvement from a tenth place finish in last year’s tournament.

The tournament is supported by the Grand Slam Development Fund and administered by the ITF regional body, COTECC. Countries included were Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Netherland Antilles St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, and the US Virgin Islands.

The SVG Tennis Association is pleased with the national team’s improved results and looks forward to continued improvement in the coming years. The SVGTA would like to thank both Peter Nanton and Mark Cyrus for volunteering their time and energies into this worthwhile effort. There were many volunteered hours on and off court in preparing the team for this important event.

Results from the 2010 ITF 13 & Under Caribbean Developmental Championships can be found at www.svgtennis.org.