The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE withdrawal of the men’s team from the prestigious Davis Cup tie in June in San José, Costa Rica, has drawn grave reviews from former and current Davis Cup players, who feel the decision will only hurt the future of the sport.

The Bahamas was scheduled to be a part of a seven-member pool, but the withdrawal by ousted president Perry Newton has dropped the field down to six - Barbados, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

The Bahamas has played Davis Cup since 1989 and, for the past 36 years, have never missed a competition. So when the news broke, players were highly disappointed.

Now players who would have benefitted from their participation in the biggest global team competition outside of the Olympic Games are voicing their opinions.

Spencer Newman, who along with his brother Baker Newman provided some sparks for Team Bahamas in 2016, said the players train their whole lives for their opportunity to represent the country at this level of competition.

"For that to be stripped away from them because of someone's personal vendetta.

“I don't know why they would want to take that away from the players who have been training so hard for this opportunity," said Newman, who had a 4-7 win-loss in singles and 4-1 in doubles.

"To be able to represent your country at this level requires a lot of time and energy. So if you've never done it before you won't understand. But there's no excuse you can give for pulling the country from the competition."

Newman, like Justin Lunn, who also played back in 2010, are calling for the removal of Newton from office to allow a new body to take over, which cares about the development of the sport.

"I feel like me, not performing in the Davis Cup in the trials in December because the president, who didn't make it easy for players to come out and participate for their country.

"Taking Davis Cup away from the future players, who worked all their lives to get to this point to represent their country, is not right," said Lunn, who played in three ties accumulating a 1/7 record in singles and 0/3 in doubles.

"It seemed like he was only there to live a comfortable life. But he needed to put more eyes on the kids of the future like we were and how we grew up and communicated with each other. I feel like this is a problem for The Bahamas."

Lunn is calling for interim committee chairman Marvin Rolle and vice chairman Philip Major Jr as the ideal replacements for Newton, if the sport is going to flourish again.

Michael Major Jr, who returned home from college and was expected to be one of the players leading Team Bahamas into competition this year, said it's disheartening that he won't get another opportunity to play.

"I've been playing tennis for 17 years and I've seen players like Marvin, PJ, Justin play for the country, I always aspired to play and now to have it taken away without reasoning by someone who claims to love the sport and want to do right by the sport is disheartening," Major Jr said.

"I honestly felt like this before. I've never had something like this taken away from me in this type of way without explanation."

After playing on the team that helped promote The Bahamas from Zone IV last year, Major Jr said the withdrawal will now put the country back in Zone IV again, rather than them trying to continue to climb back up the ladder.

He called on Newton's removal and for a new government, headed by Rolle and Major Jr, to take over so that they can restore the integrity of The Bahamas again. 

Last year, The Bahamas’ team consisted of Denali Nottage, Michael Major Jr, Donte Armbrister and Kofi Bowe, captained by John Antonas. 

This year, Nottage and Major Jr were to return with the addition of Jerald Carroll and Jackson Mactaggart.

The captain was undecided, but would have been between Rolle and Philip Major Jr. 

Team Bahamas withdrew from the Davis Cup but it was understood that the Fed Cup team heading to the Billie Jean King Cup was also withdrawn.