Top-ranked Professional Road Tennis Association (PRTA) players, Mark “Venom” Griffith and Sheldene Walrond ended the year with emphatic wins in the inaugural Barbados Cup on Sunday.
Griffith and Walrond dropped one game each and took their respective PRTA titles, but the expectations that the duo were going to be seriously challenged in the finals staged at the Netball Stadium proved to be vaporous hopes when Walrond beat Rachel Smith 21-16, 17-21, 21-16, and Griffith defied Davien “Force Ripe” Taylor 21-14, 21-8, 18-21, 21-12.
“Even when I trailed 5-10 in the first game, I was still confident of beating Rachel,” Walrond said. “In the second game, the ball seemed lighter than usual, and it was giving me a lot of trouble, and when I made the adjustment, it was too late.
“I then decided to serve centre court, forcing Rachel to give me easier returns, where I was able to put away the ball. Rachel played really well, but unfortunately there could be only one winner, and I am grateful as always for this victory, which is a good Christmas present.” (KB)