The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net ONE of the Bahamas' brightest young tennis stars continues to develop her game on the international stage with another year of selection to an ITF touring team. Simone Pratt has been named to an ITF/Grand Slam junior touring team slated to compete in a series of junior tournaments in Costa Rica and South America next month. Players who perform well at these regional circuits are invited to join an international touring team. The team is part of the ITF Development Programme, which is financed by the ITF and the Grand Slam Development Fund (GSDF). The team will be coached by Guillermo Stevens of Mexico and competes at several outings, including: January 2-7 - Copa del Cafe, San Jose, Costa Rica; January 9-14 in Caracas, Venezuela; January 16-21 in Barranquilla, Colombia; and January 23-28 in Manta, Ecuador. The ITF/Grand Slam touring team programme said in a press release that its mandated mission is to " facilitate the transition of talented players through regional and international competitions and onto the professional ranks." Said Francesco Ricci Bitti, president of the International Tennis Federation: "We are delighted to be able to direct these funds specifically towards the development of competitive tennis and deeply appreciate that the Grand Slam nations are in a position to support our programme. "It is fitting that these great tournaments, which are showcases of our sport and provide stability for the professional game, are able to help by some tangible means to extend the competitive frontiers of tennis." In 2010, Pratt recently completed a successful COSAT tour January 13 to February 13 across several South American countries. Bahamian Justin Roberts was also chosen to compete in the month-long event. In four events on the tour, Pratt reached the tournament finals in Colombia, reached the semifinals in Ecuador, the third round in Peru and reached another tournament final at the event in Bolivia but did not compete due to a prior commitment. The complete group of under 16 players in the event was chosen by the ITF. Of her COSAT experience, Pratt said: "It was a pretty good experience. I got to meet a lot of new players. I met a lot of new coaches, learned a lot of different tactics that I know is going to help my game as I move forward. One of the most memorable things I learned is how to interact with different players from all over the world because everyone there speaks Spanish and we really used the game to communicate." Like most of the players in the ITF's junior circuit, Pratt is enrolled in an on-line school where she is forced to do her studies on her own. In the future, Pratt said her goal is to become a professional tennis player and she credits her father, Sidney Pratt, for getting her to the level that she's at right now. "That's what I really want to be," said Pratt, who gives herself about two years to make it on the circuit.