Former Caribbean junior champion Kathy Shuffler and Raphael deGroot were among the evening’s victors as action continued on the third night of the Ansa McAl sponsored Senior Easter Squash Tournament at the Georgetown Club’s Squash Facility on Friday night.
The former Caribbean U19 champion Shuffler was made to work as she defeated the precocious 14-year-old Taylor Fernandes in a five-game thriller 9/11, 11/3, 9/11, 11/4, 11/3. Shuffler managed to exploit Fernandes’ weaknesses at key moments in the game to secure her first win of the ladies singles which will be played in the round robin format.
DeGroot defeated 2013 Bounty Farm Mash Handicap tournament’s runner up Nicholas Narain in straight games by the identical margin of 11/6. National coach Carl Ince, who was on hand to witness the encounter, stated that DeGroot’s court movement was excellent and worthy of being emulated by all the youngsters. Due to his exemplary footwork, DeGroot was able to reach and dispatch all of Narain’s shots with the utmost of ease.
DeGroot’s younger sister Ashley deGroot was also victorious on the evening as she defeated her national hockey teammate Alysa Xavier in four games.
Conceding the first game by a close 12/10 score line, the younger DeGroot quickly found her grove as the managed to prevail in the next three games 11/3, 11/5, 11/4.
Twelve-year-old Alexander Cheeks ran circles around senior player Jamaal Douglas in one of the entertaining earlier matches of the evening.
Cheeks served up Douglas to an 11/5, 11/2, 11/6 defeat, relegating him to his second straight-game loss in two nights.
Nyron Joseph compliments of great retrieving skills came from behind to defeat Ashley Khalil 8/11, 11/5, 9/11, 11/3, 11/6 after falling behind by a 2-1 score line at the end of three games.
