Guatemala’s Rivera Corado tops JITIC U-18 tennis

Rivera Corado won the match in straight sets, sneaking the first set 7-5 and then controlling the second set 6-1. It was a lengthy and often high-energy battle, that had to be shifted from the outdoor centre-court to an indoor court due to interruption by rain.

While second-seeded Rivera Corado turned the tables on top-seeded Galindo, amity topped rivalry even as both hurried to gather their belongings for a hasty trip to Piarco Airport for their flight out. They told Newsday they had first met on Guatemala’s tennis circuit and now often spend time together when they meet on the international circuit.

Earlier, the men’s singles finals was won by Dominican Republic’s Nick Hardt (second seed) who beat Mexico’s Juan Hernandez Serrano (top seed) in clinical fashion 6-3, 6-2.

Hardt later joined Mexico’s Daniel Moreno to win the men’s doubles title. The No.2 seeds beat the top-seeded duo of Hernandez Serrano and his countryman Marcelo Sepulveda Garza.

The Serrano/Sepulveda Garza team took the openeing set 6-7 (5) but Hardt and Moreno bounced back to claim the second set 6-4, and ultimately won a match tie-break by 10-6.

Speaking to Newsday after the men’s singles, Hardt hailed Serrano as “a great friend” whom he knows very well from international tournaments. Both are based in Miami, Florida.

Tournament organiser, Jermille Danclar of Tennis TT, told Newsday how pleased he was with the tournament’s success and thanked all those who had made it possible.