Lester Vaughan School fifth former Tyrease Holder scored a tremendous upset to deny the favourites a clean sweep when the Barbados Road Tennis Association (BRTA) staged the Electing A Champion Junior Tournament on Errol Barrow Day at the Pelican Village.
With Kenoja Belgrave taking the primary school crown, Kezia Blunt winning the Girls’ 16-and-under open and Deontae Chapman capturing the Boys’ 15-and-under, the polls suggested that Shakeem Nurse would easily win the senior boys’ 16-to-21 age group and ensure that quartet repeated as champions in another BRTA tournament.
However, Holder who celebrated his 16th birthday on January 4, produced a level of play and confidence to stun Nurse 21-17 in the single-game elimination and spark tremendous celebrations among his Road Tennis Elite Academy supporters.
“I had never beaten Shakeem in a tournament but I was always confident that I could do it this time,” Holder said.
“I entered the finals with a game plan and except for when he won all of my serves to lead 13-12, I stuck to my game plan to pull off the win.” (KB)
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