The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN top seed Sydney Clarke made quick work of Canadian Hana Gamracy to advance to the final of the International Tennis Federation’s J5 St John’s Wadadli Bowl in Antigua and Barbuda.

However, she ended up staying on the court at the National Tennis Centre camp site in St John’s, as she and her doubles partner Sifa Butcher had to play both of their quarter-finals and semi-final matches to get into the final. Meanwhile, Donte Armbrister, the other Bahamian playing in the last of their four ITF Junior Caribbean Tournaments this month, got eliminated in singles, but has survived with partner Freddie Ridout of Great Britain to the semi-finals.

Clarke, playing in her singles semi-finals, prevailed with an easy 6-4, 6-0 victory over Gamracy, who was seeded at No.7 in the tournament. She will now face No.2 seed Jennifer Kida in today’s final.

“I feel pretty good. I am relaxed and calm,” Clarke told The Tribune. “I feel good about my game today (yesterday). I didn’t rush. I took my time. I had my movements, but I just went into the corner, took some deep breaths and we got the outcome that we wanted.”

Clarke, 17, is playing in her final tournament as a junior player. She’s nursing a left thumb injury, but she indicated that while she has gotten some medical care before and during the match, she’s not going to let it affect her.

She reached the semi-final on Wednesday with a 7-6 (4), 6-2 decision over her doubles partner Sifa Butcher from the United States. After getting a bye in the first round, Clarke played her second-round match on Tuesday, winning 6-3, 6-4 over American Candice Ballarin.

In doubles yesterday, the top ranked Clarke and Butcher took care of the team of Serena Bryan of Barbados and Sidley Charles of Antigua and Barbuda 6-3, 6-4. Then they disposed of the No.5 team of Natalia Perez of Puerto Rico and Madison Smith of the USA 2-6, 6-4 (11-9).

However, their opponents in the final will not be determined until today.

In his semi-final singles yesterday, Armbrister, the No.5 seed, fell short against the No.4 seed Ellis Short in a marathon 6-7 (14), 6-4, 6-4 decision.

Armbrister got out of the quarter-final on Wednesday with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 upset win over top seed Paul Colin from France. With a bye in the first round, Armbrister secured a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over American Smarty Chukwudumebi.

Armbrister, still reeling of his doubles victory with Ridout at their last tournament in Trinidad & Tobago last week, stayed alive in the men’s doubles with Ridout as they took care of the Japanese team of Kai Hitomi and Ryoma Mishiro 6-4, 6-4.

They are now into the semi-final and will face the top seeds Stian Klaassen of the Netherlands and Maxime Mareschal-Hay of Canada today. This is also Armbrister’s final tournament as a junior.