SVG Top Junior Tennis Players compete in Curacao and Trinidad

This week marks the beginning of the last regional International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Tennis tournament of the year with the IBM ITF 2009 in Trinidad.

This tournament follows the Curacao Juniors Open 2009 which started on October 5.{{more}} St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been represented at both tournaments as our top Junior players attempt to improve their international rankings.

Representing SVG at the Curacao Juniors Open 2009 were Under-18 Junior players Shane Huggins, Shane Latchman and Dujoh Ollivierre. In the Under-14 Boys category, Julio Francis was the sole Vincentian representative.

Sixteen Junior Tennis players are representing SVG in the IBM ITF in Trinidad. Top national players Miles Dalrymple, Fabrice George, Kevin Huggins, Shane Huggins, Shane Latchman, Dujoh Ollivierre and Jonathan Perry are competing in the Boys Under-18 competition, with Michelle Gun-Munro and Rihanna Bruce-Lyle in the Girls Under-18.

Five players are competing in the Boys Under-14 category including J’Rai DaSilva-Joyette, Julio Francis, Leopold Joyette, John Rickards and Marley Young. Representing SVG in the Girls’ Under-14 Category are Daneya Charles and Paige Veira. At press time, three players had advanced to the advanced rounds in the U-18 Singles Main Draws – earning valuable international ranking points. These players were Fabrice George and Shane Huggins in the Boys U-18 and Michelle Gun-Munro in the Girls U-18.

In the Boys Under-14 Categories, Julio Francis qualified for the Main Draw as the number four seed after round-robin play with J’Rai Joyette DaSilva and Marley Young also making the U-14 Main Draw. Leopold Joyette and John Rickards are representing SVG in the U-14 Boys Consolation Draw. In the Girls Under-14 Categories, Daneya Charles qualified for the Main Draw after round-robin play, while Paige Veira qualified for the Consolation Draw.

The St. Vincent & the Grenadines Tennis Association (SVGTA) congratulates all national players participating in these events. There has been an increased number of players participating in regional events throughout 2009 in comparison to previous years. The SVGTA looks forward to continued success in working with Tennis schools, academies, coaches, parents and organizations interested in the advancement of the sport.