The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After taking almost a year off to recuperate from a hamstring injury, top-ranked Bahamian tennis player Justin Roberts returned to the international scene in grand style, winning the Battle of Boca Men’s Open Championships.

At the Rick Macci Tennis Centre in Boca Raton, Florida, Roberts clinched the title with a hard fought 7-6, 3-6, 10-6 win over Christian Langmo.

Saturday’s was Roberts’ first tournament since July, but he was very pleased with the progress he made in rehab to get back on the court in such fine form.

“I did a lot of phototherapy and worked out with my strength and conditioning coaches to work on the areas that I needed to improve on my body,” said Roberts of the injury he sustained in his last tournament in Ecuador.

“I watched a lot of video with my coach on how I should be playing coming back from the injury. It was a lot of hard work and patience, so it was good that it all paid off and I could get back on the court at such a high level.”

Coming off the rehab, the six-foot Roberts, who plays right-handed, said he’s excited because he has seen improvement in his game in a lot of areas.

“I feel strong and overall, I just feel like a better tennis player,” said Roberts, who turned 25 years old on December 4.

“I’m just so happy to be back out on the court competing and winning again.”

On his way to the final, Roberts said he defeated some quality players, but he was more impressed with his triumph over Langmo, who is currently ranked at No. 476 in the world on the ATP Tour, compared to Roberts, who is pegged at 910.

“It shows my level is where I want it to be,” Roberts said. “I just want to keep building on this for the rest of the year.”

With this being his first tournament for the year, Roberts said he didn’t know what to expect as he now plays full time as a professional tennis player having completed his academics at Arizona State University in 2019.

“I haven’t played since July, but I know I was training well, so I felt I could do well,” he said. “There were not that many strict COVID-19 rules in Florida, but it was good for me to get some high level matches in before I leave on Sunday to go to Cancun, Mexico.”

While in Mexico, Roberts will compete in two $15,000 tournaments before he returns to participate in two more tournaments in Naples, Florida, in February. Once he stays healthy, Roberts said he’s also looking forward to representing the Bahamas once again on the Davis Cup team.

“KJ (Kevin Major) and I talk about it all the time,” he said. “We’re looking forward to hopefully being a part of the team once again and if we do, we hope to do some damage as we move the country up from zone III to zone II. “I just have to remain health because that’s definitely one of my biggest goals this year, playing again for the country in Davis Cup.”

Note: The BLTA congratulated Roberts on his performance as well as Kaylah Fox who competed well at the Delray Championship in Florida. Fox advanced out of the round of 16 in the Under-12 competition.

Fox won 6-1, 6-2 over Melanie Constandache and 7-5, 6-1 over Sabrina Luqman. She then advanced to the final after defeating Kate Ensor. Fox played well in the final, but lost to Nicoletta Contento 6-1, 7-5.