The 2016 Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry sponsored Open Jubilee lawn tennis competition has been very competitive and keenly contested as a number of payers have advanced to the next round.
So said coordinator of this year’s competition, Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan who disclosed that while there have been no upsets, several players have been very competitive and aggressive in moving ahead in this year’s competition.
“Everybody is playing as though they are going to win this competition. It’s very competitive and as the competition moves on the public can expect more intense and exciting matches as the competition progresses,” she said.
The competition coordinator stressed that the seeded players have all defeated their opponents in fine style, noting that players such as Anthony Downes and`18 year old Nicola Ramdyhan have both won their matches in very convincing manner. Both Downes and Ramdyhan have won their matches 6-0, 6-0 and 6-2, 6-4 respectively. She pointed out that they are both male and female defending champions. “There is no doubt that the defending champions means business noting that Downes was very devastating in his match.
Commenting on the quality of the competition, she noted that this year’s competition has seen an improved quality as a number of players have been training for several months prior to the start of the competition. “The competition quality is good as a number of persons have been training very hard in an effort to win,” she said.
The elder Ramdyhan who is not seeded in this year’s competition disclosed that her focus is on reaching the final as she said that she intends to take it one match at a time.
This has been evident with her easy dismissal of Shawna Gentle 6-3, 6-2. “I have not been involved for a very long time, so I am now getting back into the competition and my focus is winning one match at a time,” she noted.
Quizzed on whether she is intimidated because her 18-year-old daughter is number one seeded and the defending champion, she dismissed this as saying that she approaches every competitor the same way and that is with a focus to win her match.
“Yes she is my daughter but on the court I have a math to win and if we do meet it would be in the finals, so we both have a point to prove to each other,” she smiling said.
It was also disclosed that while the elder Ramdyhan is going after the title, number three seed Aretta Dey has great intentions of winning also as she has kicked off this year’s competition in fine style and seems to be in a no nonsense mood.
Meanwhile, defending champion Anthony Downes who has professed that he is not only passionate about the sport but takes it with great seriousness admitted that he has upped his training sessions. He said that he has been viewing several of the matches and admitted that this year’s quality is much higher than in previous years. “The players are all hungry and this is the kind of spirit that helps to motivate each other in doing their nest,” he said.
He added, “Every player who goes out unto the court does so with the sole intention of winning and I am inspired and upbeat as I am eager to show my skills and talent in every match that I have to play. The public should come out so that they can have an insight into the quality of the competition.”
Downes who is aiming to stretch his record of six titles, firmly believes that he will win this year’s competition.
He stressed that his immediate focus would be to campaign in North and South America as he will be entering some international competitions. “My immediate focus now is to visit several South American countries where I will get some exposure and training as I want to take my tennis to another level. I am focused now on training in North America also as its tome my game plan goes to a whole new level,” he said.
Downes disclosed that while his doubles partner Harry Panday doesn’t have any intentions of playing in the big league he enjoys competing with the older Panday.
“Harry Panday is a very good player and we have been training over the past several months and his techniques and aggression is very nice. I enjoy playing with him and together I firmly believe that we can win the doubles this year as that is our focus,” he said.
He further noted that his plans to establish an Academy to help spread the sport to far flung, river rain and other communities is still on his plan of agenda adding that he firmly believes that the country has young talented persons who once given the right training and opportunities can do well both regionally and internationally.
