The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COLLEGIAN Justin Roberts’ run in the men’s singles of the Bluewater Bay Pro Circuit came to an end yesterday at the hands of German Pirmin Haenle.

Roberts, a member of the University of South Florida men’s collegiate tennis team, suffered a 6-4, 7-5 decision to Haenle in the second round in the Futures Tournament that was played on the clay courts at the Bluewater Bay Tennis Center in Niceville, Florida.

Roberts, who turns 20 on December 4, was coming off a huge upset in the first round on Tuesday when he eliminated the 7th seed Winston Lin of the United States. Lin, 23, was ranked at 697 on the ATP computer list. He was the highest ranked player that Roberts has beaten for the year.

Roberts, the only Bahamian player with any professional points, is currently ranked at 1,242. His ranking, no doubt, will increase because of his appearance in the second round.

He was one of two players who participated in the tournment. The other was Rodney Carey.

Carey, who turned 24 on September 23, won his first round match in the qualifying round with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Enrique Paya Gonzalez of Spain before he got eliminated in the second round, losing 7-5, 6-4 to American Aleksandar Kovacevic.

Carey, who turned 24 on September 23, also teamed up with American Mwendwa Mbithi to play doubles. However, they got ousted in the first round, losing to Americans Patrick Daciek and Dane Webb 6-1, 7-6 (8).

Although he has been performing exceptionally well in doubles for USF, Roberts said the coaching staff has only given him the green light to participate in singles in the tournament.

This is Roberts’ second tournament since returning to school after the summer break.

He played last month in Birmingham, Alabama, where he lost in the second round in qualifying 7-5, 6-2 to Vasilly Kichigin from Russia.

Roberts, however, had an active summer, playing in six tournaments in June and July in Charlottesville, Virginia, Buffalo, New York, Rochester, New York, Saskatoon, Canada, Godfrey, Illinois and Edwardsville, Illinois.