The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Both have already won doubles titles so far, but Sydney Clarke and Donte Armbrister are hoping to close out their month-long Caribbean tour of the International Tennis Federation's junior tournaments with a singles crown before they are done this week.

At the J5 St John's Wadadli Bowl in Antigua & Barbuda, Clarke got off to a great start yesterday, winning her second round match 6-3, 6-4 over American Candice Ballarin. Clarke, 17, got a bye in the first round.

Today, she is scheduled to take on American Sifa Butcher, the No.6 seed, in the quarter-final round. Butcher won yesterday's second round match over Trinidad & Tobago's Victoria Koylass.

Incidentally, Clarke is scheduled to team up with Butcher in doubles when they start play on Wednesday.

Clarke, coming off a double whammy in her last tournament last week in Trinidad & Tobago where she lost out in both singles and doubles due to a slight left thumb injury, has already won a title, teaming up with Japan's Mia Yabuta to take the doubles crown in St Vincent and the Grenadines two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old southpaw Armbrister, playing as the No.6 seed in the boys' singles, won his second round match 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 over American Chukwudumebi Smarty.

Armbrister, who got a bye in the first round, will play top seed Paul Colin from France, who knocked off Great Britain's Freddie Ridout.

Last week in Trinidad & Tobago, Armbrister and Gidout teamed up to win the men's doubles.

It was Armbrister's second doubles title since he won his first crown three years ago in St Vincent & the Grenadines.

Armbrister and Gidout will be back pairing up to close out the summer tour with another doubles title.