The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER dropping its first game on Wednesday, the Bahamas men's national rebounded to sweep Nicaragua 3-0 to wrap up second place in the American Zone III Davis Cup tie and now in the playoffs with a chance to get promoted to Zone II for 2013.

After a day's rest from losing to 2-1 to Jamaica in their third game at the Shaw Park Tennis Facility in Tobago, Trinidad & Tobago, the Bahamas won on Friday with number two seed Rodney Carey taking his opening singles 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 and top seed Marvin Rolle following suit with a 6-1, 6-2 decision. The Bahamas wrapped up the match by winning the doubles 6-0, 6-3.

"The boys played very well today," said team captain Dentry Mortimer. "They made me very proud as a coach."

The Bahamas finished behind Costa Rica as the two countries qualified for the playoffs. They now cross over to play the top two teams in Group B today. While Costa Rica will end up playing against Guatemala, the Bahamas will face Haiti. The top two teams to advance out of the playoffs will be promoted to Zone II next year.

The two losers will join the other six countries, who didn't advance to the playoffs, in Zone III again next year. There is no longer a Group IV as it was amalgamated with Group III this year.

In advancing to the playoffs, the Bahamas opened play on Monday with a 3-0 sweep over the United States Virgin Islands. They came back on Tuesday and duplicated the feat against Panama. However, the Bahamas lost 2-1 to Jamaica. Rolle was the most successful player on the team, winning all of his singles matches played so far. The other two members of the team are Philip Major Jr. and Jody Turnquest.