The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association has completed its selection process for the men’s team that will represent the country at the American Zone II Davis Cup tie next month.

Justin Lunn, making the team for the first time, has been added as the fourth member, replacing Kevin Major Jr, who is unable to play the tie (because of his school commitments) against Venezuela at the Doral Country Club in Miami, Florida, February 3-5.

He joins Philip Major Jr, who has replaced top seed Baker Spencer, who is also unavailable because of school commitments at Vanderbilt University.

The other two members of the team are Spencer Newman and Marvin Rolle, the player/captain.

Baker and Spencer finished 1-2 and Rolle and Kevin Major Jr were 3-4 at the end of the BLTA’s Georgio Baldacci National Open Challenge in December at the National Tennis Center. Philip Major Jr and Justin Lunn were fifth and sixth.

BLTA president Elwood Donaldson said they are still excited about the make up of the team going into the tie.

“Due to college engagement, both Baker and KJ are not able to play in the tie in February,” he said. :”But Philip Major, who has been playing very well on the pro circuit winning a US1 Qualifier, has stepped up.

“He brings a high level of play to the team and we have added Justin Lunn, who in 2015, was having a very good year, but due to some injuries in 2016, he didn’t have as good a year as hew expected. But having a healthy Justin Lunn is just as good as any.”

With Newman and Rolle leading the charge, Donaldson said the Bahamas is still in good hands.

“Spencer was beaten in three sets by his brother Baker, so it shows the level he’s at and we have the decorated Davis Cup veteran in Marvin Rolle,” Donaldson added. “So we feel pretty confident that we will do very well.

“The tie is being held close in Miami where the Newman brothers train and Philip is leaving this week to train with Spencer, so we feel that with the local and support that we get, we feel we have a very good chance of winning and moving on. We are pretty confident.”

If the Bahamas win the tie, the country will advance to the second round to play against the winner of the tie between Bolivia and El Salvador over the weekend of April 7-9 for the rights to either advance to zone one or remain in zone II for 2017.

If the Bahamas lose, the Bahamas will play the loser of Bolivia and El Salvador over the same weekend to either remain in zone II or get demoted to zone III in 2017.

With so much on the line, Donaldson said the BLTA is trying to work out a package earth Bahamasair to carry a contingent to Miami where Newman is working on getting some of their supporters to attend as well.

“The venue seats 500 and 50 has been allotted to the Bahamas, so we are looking to fill that 50 quota and get some more,” he said. “So right now, we are in the process of trying to get some people to go to help add to our ability to pull it of.”

Last year, the team of Baker and Spencer Newman, Philip Major Jr and Marvin Rolle pulled the Bahamas out of zone III with their impressive performance in La Paz, Bolivia.