Leacock stands alone in IBM tennis

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Yolande Leacock was the only local participant left standing  yesterday in the IBM sponsored ITF Junior Circuit Tennis tournament. Competing in the 18 and Under division the muscular Leacock dispatched Gabriella Blaskovicova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-2 at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain to advance to the quarter-finals.

Today she faces England’s Abbie Probert on court four. Shennelle Mohammed was the first of the locals who exited yesterday when she was knocked out  in two sets 6-0, 6-0 by Ukraine’s Iryna Matiychik,. Next Olivia Bennett tumbled out when she went down 6-2, 6-1 to the Usa’s Ekaterina Rybakova in another Girls 18 and Under contest at the Oval.

In the Boys 18 and Under category, Michael Clarke was beaten by Dominic Pagon of Jamaica 6-1, 6-1 at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo. Yohansey Williams also had a tough assignment with Gian Hodgson of Aruba in a match that saw him claim the first set 6-3. But the Aruban bounced back in the following two sets to win 7-6 and four at the tie-break, before finishing off the final set 6-4 for a quarter-final berth. Meanwhile Leon Fraser triumphed over his countryman Jabrille Kabli 8-1 in the Boys 14 and Under division. In the Girls category, Akeela Smith also got the better of her compatriot Stephanie Nahous 8-1, while Raye-Ann Sandy shut-out Fausthyana Pietersz. In another match-up TT’s Cheyenne Lutchman defeated Nicolette Leacock 8-1. In the main draw for the Boys 14 and Under, Dawould Kabli whipped Luke De Caires 6-1, 7-5, while Jovan Lewis triumphed over Brendan Da Costa in two sets 6-0, 6-1.