The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After turning in some credible performances in the United States, Kerrie Cartwright, the only Bahamian female player playing on the professional circuit, took her tennis game to South America.

In her first tournament this week, Cartwright has advanced to the final of the doubles of the Torneo Internacional Femenino Pereira 2017 in Colombia after falling short in singles.

Cartwright, 25, is teaming up with American Kariann Pierre-Louis. They won their semi-final match yesterday 6-2, 6-3 over the No.4 seeded team of twin sisters Maria Paulina Paula Andrea Perez-Garcia. Cartwright and Pierre-Louis, unseeded, will face the No.2 team of Emily Appleton of Great Britain and Maria Fernanda Herazo Gonzalez of Colombia in the final today. Cartwright and Pierre-Louis won their quarter-final with a 6-0, 6-7 (5), (12-10) decision over Melissa Morales and Kirsten-Andrea Weedon of Guadeloupe.

Their win came after they upset the top seeded team of Mara Schmidt of the United States and Noella Zeballos of Bolivia in identical scores of 6-1, 6-1.

Cartwright advanced to the main draw of singles, but she got eliminated in the second round. She won her first round match with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Paula Andrea Coronado of Colombia, but was ousted by Weedon, the No.6 seed, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Cartwright won her two rounds in the qualifying round, defeating Morocco Hitt of the USA 6-2, 6-2 and another American Sara Kelly 6-2, 6-3 respectively.

Pierre-Louis, 18, also got eliminated in the second round in singles where she played directly out of the main draw. She lost to Appleton in a 6-0, 6-2 decision after she won 6-2, 6-1 over Jenny Duerst of Switzerland.