Inaugural Nine Mornings Road Tennis Tournament blasts

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) successfully hosted the inaugural Capita Financial Nine Mornings Road Tennis Blast.

A joint undertaking of the Professional Road Tennis Association of Barbados and the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture, the tournament, which ran from December 16 to 23, was part of the package offered for the annual Nine Mornings festivities.{{more}}

The tournament saw 40 participants in the senior male, 10 in the senior female along with 15 in the male Under-18 and 7 in the female Under-18 and culminated last Friday morning at the Calliaqua hard court.

When the paddles, balls and other implements were stashed away to signal the end of the tournament, Alexi Humphrey, Paulson Mack, Audlyn Blunt and Terrence Prescott etched their names in the annals, as they became the first ever champions.

Humphrey claimed the female Under-18 title, whipping her side-kick Anastacia White in straight sets, 21-13, 21-8. The male segment of the Under-18’s was more competitive, as Mack recorded a 21-10, 23-21 triumph over Augustus Michael.

Both Humphrey and Mack got trophies and a tablet as their recompense for their successes.

Meanwhile, Blunt, a Vincentian who resides in Barbados, calmed Samantha Lynch 22-20, 21-13, to win the senior female title.

Blunt collected a trophy and US$600, with Lynch pocketing US$300.

In copping the senior male accolade, Prescott had an easy 21- 8, 21-9 knock down of Imani King, to pouch a trophy and US$1,000. King took home US$500.

The losing finalists in the senior categories all received US$100.

The recipients in the female segment were Roxanne Williams and Melissa Bellingy, who were beaten by Blunt and Lynch respectively.

Taking the consolations in the senior male were Walford Mc Kie who went under to Prescott and Nimron Daniel, who lost out to King.

Director of Sports and Physical Education Nelson Hillocks, who was one of the key figures in the organizing committee of the tournament, noted at the presentation ceremony that despite it being the inaugural edition, other than born and bred Vincentians, eligibility was extended to persons who became Vincentians by descent, naturalization or by marriage.

Prescott, a Barbadian, qualified through his spouse, while Adjah Blunt, who was a losing finalist in the male Under-18, is the son of female champion Audlyn Blunt.

Summing up the tournament, chief executive officer of the Professional Road Tennis Association of Barbados Dale Clarke, whose father is Vincentian, noted at last Friday’s closing ceremony: “It was a wonderful experience … It was a wonderful tournament; keep practising, keep playing (as) there will be so many tournaments in the PR (Professional Road Tennis) year and you will be invited to play all of our tournaments, whether it be (in) SVG, Barbados or throughout the world or the Caribbean.”

Clarke proposed that the tournament be an annual affair. `