The versatile Emar Edwards blended skills as a national ballroom and chess star to easily waltz past the cocky Shammon Weekes 21-13, 21-8 to reach the quarter-finals of the Barbados Road Tennis Open when the Round of 16 began on Saturday night at the Deighton ‘Pa’ Roach Tennis Centre in Bush Hall.
With close to 2 000 spectators taking up every vantage point around the court, Weekes gave a sample of his attacking style during the warm-ups which whetted the appetites of the fans. However, that was all the fit-looking attacker offered. Edwards’ extra body weight proved no hindrance as he danced around the court making unplayable moves which Weekes never matched.
Edwards moved with tremendous litheness and speed, controlling every corner of the court and then darting in to blast countless balls past the stationary and clueless Weekes. After Edwards dominated and took the first game, the rains offered Weekes some respite with him trailing 1-5.
That hope evaporated when the contest restarted after a break of 20 minutes. The weather seemed set on prolonging Weekes’ agony when it started to drizzle with Edwards leading 19-8. But Edwards switched to a blitz game, serving and quickly taking the needed two points, check and mate.