Exciting blend in Citigroup tennis

An exciting blend of youth and experience will be on show in the 14th Citigroup-Tranquillity Open Tennis Tournament 2004 which opens today at the Tranquillity Square Lawn Tennis Club, in Port-of-Spain. In the spotlight four-time winner and defending champion Ivor Grazette takes the court in the men’s singles against Peter Richards as he begins his title defence. Today’s action features ten men’s singles matches after the competition’s official opening at 3 pm. Lendl Smith plays Aasan Lewis while Jerome Ward takes on Arnold Viarruel to bring  youthful exuberance to the schedule while tomorrow giant-killer Simeon Sealy plays Winnington Grazette.

Britney Delaney, the reigning women’s singles champ, will not be present to defend her title but the presence of Carlisat Mohammed, Renee Branker, Shernelle Mohammed, Farah and Sarah Chautilal, Dayna Grazette and Christina Bennett paint a picture of a keen battle for the top honours. Branker meets Carlista Mohammed; Lewis plays Farah Chautilal of south Trinidad; and Sarah Chautilal, Farah’s twin sister meets Shennele Mohammed. The latter teamed up to form a potent doubles team with Carlista Mohammed, no relation, to take top honours at the Trinidad and Tobago Tennis Association’s prize giving ceremony last year. Among the Veterans, Robert Aboud faces Michael Pemberton; Kieron Fung Kee Fung plays Awad Narine and Michael Cooper advances on a bye as does Athelstan Phillips. The Women’s and Veteran’s Singles competitions begin tomorrow and the tournament runs until March 27. Following is the draw for the first weekend of play in the Citigroup-Tranquillity Open Tennis Tournament:

Men’s Singles:
Today: John Peter Clarke vs Arvinda Maharaj, Ivor Grazette vs Peter Richards, Harry Mahase vs Matthew De Gannes, Ravi Deonarine vs Peter Moore, Swaran Maharaj vs Nicholas Sellier, Peter Scott vs Yohansey Williams, Dipnarine Rampersad vs Michael Cooper, Vincent Perreira vs Bran Jackson, Jerome Ward vs Arnold Viarruel and Lendl Smith vs Aasan Lewis.
Tomorrow: Winnington Grazette vs Simeon Sealy, Johnathan Gomez vs Jerome Branker, Dion Auguste vs Richard McLetchie, Michael Meikle vs Sean Paul, Brian Kuei Tung vs Sean De La Bastide and Noah Haynes vs Sub Prabhakaran.

Women’s Singles:
Tomorrow: Sanian Lewis vs Farah Chautilal, Anastasia Weedon vs Samantha de Gannes, Dayna Grazette vs Kiran Perreira, Cheyene Lutchman vs Natalaya Watson, Sarah Chautilal vs Shennelle Mohammed, Renee Branker vs Carlista Mohammed, Allison Lutchman vs Jacqueline Straessle and Tessa Haskell vs Christina Bennett.
Veterans’ Singles:
Tomorrow: Robert Aboud vs Michael Pemberton, Swaran Maharaj vs Michael Meikle, Keiron Fung Kee Fung vs Awad Narine, William Iton vs Ivor Jack, Ashford Sinanan vs Dipnarine Rampersad and Roderick Williams vs Daniel Laurence.