The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IESHA Shepherd cemented her position as the top local female player remaining unbeaten this year by winning the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Giorgio Baldacci tennis tournament at the National Tennis Centre over the weekend.

The 16-year-old 11th grader at Queen’s College pulled off the title with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Gabrielle Donaldson on Saturday. She advanced to the final by eliminating Lauren Daxon 6-4, 7-5. Donaldson clinched her berth by ousting Sierra Donaldson 6-2, 6-3.

“It was good. It was a competitive match, especially in the first set when I had to play my game,” said Shepherd of the final showdown. “It was some very close games with long ads (advantages), but in the second set, I just gave it my all. She just seemed to have lost focus in the second set and she fell short. I was gaining my confidence. I think I just wanted it more than she did.”

In the first set, Shepherd was leading 4-1 when Donaldson made her comeback. Her run was started when she broke Shepherd, but they played it by holding serve the rest of the way.

“I started playing her game instead of playing my game,” said Shepherd of her miscue in the first set. “But I knew once I got back to what I was doing at the beginning of the set, I would be back in control of the match.”

She did and after regaining her composure, Shepherd carried over her performance in the second set as she breezed to an easy win for another title.

The women’s segment of the tournament was minus some of the top female players, including two of whom came home, but didn’t participate. Kerrie Cartwright just underwent surgery and was recuperating, while Danielle Thompson was entered, but she eventually withdrew. Shepherd said she was really hoping that she would have faced those two players whom she looked up to when she was growing up.

“I was expecting to play one of them just to see how much I have improved,” said Shepherd, who played them both but lost when she was much younger. “This was a national tournament so I really wanted to see where I am matched against them. I guess I will just have to wait for another opportunity at another time.”

But despite not having the chance to compete against them, Shepherd said the recent International Tennis Federation’s junior tournaments that she competed in this year has really sharpened her skills.

“You can always work on things because nobody is perfect,” she stated. “Even the pros practice and practice, no matter how good they are. So I just have to continue practicing, especially on my backhand. But I feel like I’m at my peak right now. But I’m definitely looking forward to getting better and that will only come with me competing against a better calibre of players. That was why I was hoping that I would have faced at least one of those players- Kerrie or Danielle - in this tournament.”

With the tournament now over, Shepherd is starting to concentrate on her next tournament when she will be travelling to Costa Rica to compete in the Cotton Bowl next month.

“I’m just going to go out there and play my game,” Shepherd said. “I know I’m going to be playing against some of the top junior players in the world. But I’ve been given a gift as a wild card and so I’m going to take advantage of the opportunity to compete. I’m going to play my best and whatever happens, happens. But I’m looking forward to doing my very best when I go.”