T&T ‘stennis teams walked away with two gold medals and titles at the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF)/COTECC Sub Region Four 12 & Under-12 Team Competition at the National Racquet Centre (NRC) in Tacarigua yesterday.
The country’s first boys’ team, which comprised Zachery Byng, James Hadden and Alexander Merry, saw their campaign in the tournament culminate with a 2-0 victory over their countrymen, T&T’s Team 2 of Isaiah Boxill, Kale Dalla Costa, Jayden Mitchell, on court five, ensuring that the host country benefitted regardless of the result.
The trio, unbeaten for the entire tournament, got a perfect start in the final from Byng, who defeated Isaiah Boxill in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. Later on, Hadden completed the win by beating Dalla Costa 7-6(2) 6-2 in the second rubber, before Byng and Hadden combined later in the doubles later to dispose of Boxill/Jayden Mitchell 6-4, 6-1.
The country’s girls’ team of Jordane Dookie, Cameron Wong and Jaeda-Lee Daniel-Joseph also copped the gold medal on the nearby court three by defeating Guyana 3-0.
The Guyanese, who earned their spot in the final courtesy of victory over Antigua & Barbuda the day before, failed to cope with the superior play of the TT outfit from the start, as Dookie pushed her team in front with a flawless 6-0, 6-0 win over Menikshi Jaikisson. Moments later, Wong demolished Paula Kalekyezi in the second match 6-0, 6-0 before the pair of Daniel-Joseph and Wong clobbered Renola Jordan and Kalekyezi in the doubles 6-0, 6-1.
The Antigua/Barbuda girls clinched the third-place spot by beating Curacao 2-0 and the Curacao boys also copped the bronze medal after their convincing 3-0 triumph over Suriname.