The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

BAHAMAS Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) president Perry Newton was impressed with the performance of Team Bahamas at the American Zone IV Davis Cup Tie in Trinidad & Tobago over the weekend.

The team of Denali Nottage, Michael Major Jr, Donte Armbrister and Kofi Bowe, captained by John Antonas, emerged undefeated in their five games, including the final on Saturday against host Trinidad & Tobago, to get promoted back to Zone III.

As he watched the week-long competition at the National Racquet Sports Centre in Tacarigua, Newton said it was extremely tough, but the players stuck to their game plan, which was to return to Zone III.

“It was a very thrilling week and just watching the team perform, we were very excited,” Newton said. “We always knew that our team would do very well. But these guys went out and proved that they were focused and they had a job to accomplish and they had a goal for us to perform and they did it. So after each victory, the underlying theme was it was a good day, but we still have so much more to do.”

As long-time team-mates coming up the junior ranks, Newton said the four players had a cohesiveness that enabled them to bond together and get the job done.

“The captain did a marvelous job of keeping everybody together every day,” Newton said. “So we’re just hoping that these players can continue to stick together and continue to blossom in their careers.”

Looking back at the matches, from day one when Major Jr went down with an ankle injury after Team Bahamas won 2-1 over Cuba, Newton said the other players stepped up and filled in the gap.

He noted that Nottage played extremely well as the top seeded player on the team and Armbrister got the job done in the No.2 spot with Major Jr not able to continue to play. 

Newton was just as impressed with Bowe, who made his debut on the team, but performed extremely well in doubles as he paired up with Armbrister and Nottage for three of their four doubles victories. 

The team didn’t have to play the final doubles match on Saturday after Nottage and Armbrister sealed the victory in the singles against Trinidad & Tobago. “After MJ went down, the team really picked it and they got the job done,” Newton said. “It just showed the determination of the team. It wasn’t easy, but they performed exceptionally well.

“On that last day, everybody wanted to get promoted, but our team did it.”

Now that the Bahamas has been promoted, Newton said the BLTA will try to find a way to keep the players fit and ready to go again when the time comes around next year.

Up next is the Billie Jean King Cup team of Simone Pratt, Sydney Clarke, Sapphire Ferguson and Jalisa Clarke, captained by Kim O’Kelley, that will be heading to El Salvador. The team leaves on Saturday for the competition that starts on Monday. 

“We think they have the potential to go up,” Newton said. “They just have to go out there and leave it on the court because every time the Bahamas step out there to play, everybody is gunning for us.”