The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas men's team, riding on the two singles victories from Philip Major Jr and Baker Newman, won their first round American Zone III Davis Cup Tie against Honduras.

Yesterday as the tie got underway at the Costa Rica Country Club in Escape, Costa Rica, the Bahamas prevailed with a 2-1 decision.

Major Jr, the No.2 seeded player on the team, won the opening singles 6-4, 6-2 over Honduras' No.2 seed Keny Turcios, while Bahamas' top seed Newman easily got by Honduras' top seed Jaime Bendeck 6-2, 6-1.

The Bahamas, however, lost their doubles match as player/captain Marvin Rolle and newcomer Jody Turnquest lost 6-2, 6-2 to Bendeck and Alejandro Obando of Honduras.

Major Jr's match lasted one hour and 13 minutes as the 22-year-old Bahamian produced four aces against the 29-year-old Turcios.

Both players were tied 3-3 in double faults and Turcios held a 71 percentage (44-62) in first serves compared to 58 (33-57) for Major Jr and the Honduran had a 44 per cent (8-18) to 38 per cent (9-24) in second serve points won.

Major Jr, however, had a 85 per cent (28-33) in 1st serve points won compared to Turcios' 48 per cent (21-44), second serve in - 88 per cent (21-24) compared to 83 per cent (15-18) by Turcios and he had a 36 per cent (5-14) advantage in break points won compared to Turcios' 33 per cent (2-6).

At the end of it all, Major Jr had a 70-49 advantage in total points won.

In his second match, Newman won every category except for second serve in where Bendeck had an 81 per cent (22-27) compared to Newman's 80 per cent (16-20).

Newman, 22, had four aces and as many double faults. He had a 57 per cent in 1st serve in and 81 per cent in 1st serve won, as well as 55 per cent in second serve won and 45 per cent in break points won.

He finished with a 63-38 edge in total points won.

In the doubles match, Rolle and Turnquest also had four aces with two double faults. The only other category they won were second serve in with an 89 per cent.

Bendeck and Obando dominated the other categories, posting a 68 per cent in 1st serve in, 1st serve points won (68 per cent), 2nd serve points won (50 per cent) and break points won (63 per cent).

In the total points won, Bemndeck and Obando out-classed Rolle and Turnquest 61-40.

The Bahamas is slated to be back in action today when they take on Antigua & Barbuda. After a day off on Wednesday, the Bahamas will play Jamaica on Thursday and wrap up round robin play on Friday against Bermuda.

If the team finishes in the top two, the Bahamas will advance to the playoffs where they will face one of the top teams coming out of Pool A, inclusive of Paraguay, Costa Rica, Cuba and Panama.

The top two teams out of the playoffs will be promoted to Zone II for 2019.