The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas will remain in zone III of the Americas Davis Cup tie for another year after the team of Philip Major Jr, Baker Newman, Justin Lunn and Donte Armbrister had to settle for a sixth-place finish at the Costa Rica Country Club in Escazu, San Jose, Costa Rica.

In their bid to get promoted to zone II over the weekend, captain Marvin Rolle watched as the Bahamas ended up in third place in Pool A after losing 3-0 to Puerto Rico on Friday in the final game of their round robin play.

Matched against Honduras, the third place finishers out of Pool B, the Bahamas only played the two singles, losing both in their classification playoff matchup on Saturday.

The loss dropped the Bahamas to sixth place.

Donte Armbrister and Justin Lunn, who both played doubles together during the round robin, were afforded the opportunity to play singles in the playoffs.

Armbrister lost 6-3, 6-1 to Gabriel Madoza, while Lunn suffered a 7-5, 1-6, 6-0 decision to Kenny Turcios.

Rookie Armbrister thanked Rolle for allowing him to get his feet wet, playing in his first Davis Cup singles match.

“Today was a tough day. I didn’t play my best, but I was able to fight through it to the end,” said Armbrister, the youngest member of the team at 17.

Armbrister, who was awarded the opportunity to travel with the team by virtue of winning the Giorgio Baldacci Tournament in December that ended with a controversial finish, said he enjoyed the week in Costa Rica with the team and is looking forward to making it back next year.

Lunn, the runner-up of the December Invitational hosted by the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, said his opponent just played much better than him in the third and deciding set of their singles.

“Overall, it was a great match. I played good. I felt comfortable.

“I’m enjoying it, just doing my thing,” said Lunn, who played in his third Davis Cup tie.

Major Jr and Newman were scheduled to play the doubles, but by virtue of losing the two singles, they didn’t have to play.

In their final round robin match on Friday against Puerto Rico, Major Jr lost 6-0, 6-3 to Ignacio Garcia, while Newman went down 6-2, 7-5 to Alex Diaz.

And in doubles, Armbrister and Lunn could not contain Sebastian Arcia and Quinton Vega, losing 7-6, 6-1.

Rolle noted that it was a tough loss to Puerto Rico. “The guys just were not on it. That’s how it goes. Sometimes you are on it and sometimes you are not,” he pointed out. “PJ came out first. He started off a little rusty, but in the second set, he gave it his all. He tried to fight. That’s all we could ask for, fight to the end.

“Baker came out in his singles and he came out a little rusty, but in the second set, he had his chances and again he fought to the end. That’s all we could ask for our players, to fight to the end.”

Costa Rica emerged as the champions with a 2-0 decision over Jamaica.

Both went into the final classification undefeated.

Puerto Rico clinched third place with a 2-0 decision as well over Cuba.