The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Sydney Clarke made good use of her top ranked entry to walk off the court at the Tacarigua National Racquet Centre as a double champion in the ladies’ singles and doubles, but Donte Armbrister fell short in both his two men’s divisional outings last week at the Tobago Junior International Tennis Federation Championships.

Clarke, avenging her defeat to Canadian Dasha Plekhanova in the final of the Coca-Cola ITF Jr Tournament in St Lucia two weeks ago, won the women’s singles title with a 6-0, 7-6 (4) victory over Hannah Chambers of Barbados.

“The goal was to win the singles and doubles and that was what happened,” Clarke said.

“I am very happy and I want to thank everyone for supporting me, my family, especially my parents and my sister, all my supporters back home and everywhere else. I just want to say thanks to everyone.”

As for the doubles where they were also the No.1 seeds, Clarke and her Barbados partner Tangia Riley-Codrington disposed of American Sifa Butcher and Puerto Rican Ariana Salgueiro-Estela, the No.3 seeds, 1-6, 6-4 (10-7). Clarke and Riley-Codrington made sure they held onto this title after making the final in St Lucia, only to lose to the American No.2 team of Zeba Jamal and Anjali Mogili.

“It was a long, exhausting match, but overall we played very well. We fought to the finish,” Clarke said. “It was a lot of ups and downs, a lot of rackets slamming, but overall we played really well and I’m really happy that we won the doubles.”

Riley-Codrington noted that although “we had a slow start, we pulled it off.”

Men’s play

Armbrister reached the semi-final of the men’s singles where he got eliminated 6-3, 6-4 by Paul Colin of France, the No.5 seed. Colin eventually lost in the final to top ranked Tom LeBlanc Claverie 6-1, 6-3.

“It was a good match. It was a difficult match because I’m a lefty and he’s a lefty, so it took away some of my advantages,” Armbrister pointed out. I had to work the point more than usual, but I fought hard and gave it my all. I just thank God for allowing me to make my second semi-final.”

In doubles, Armbrister and Romani Mayers from Barbados made it to the final, but they also fell short as they lost to LaBlanc and Benjamin Kittey of the USA. The duo, the top seeded team in the tournament, won the title with a 6-1, 6-3 decision.

“We played good,” Armbrister said. “For the duration of the match, our opponents were just tough, but I’m just glad we won.”

In St Lucia, Armbrister lost in the quarter-final in singles and he and Romani got beat by the Trinidad & Tobago’s combo of Aidan Carter and Adam Ramkissoon.

Next Tournament

Clarke and Armbrister are now on to Antigua & Barbuda where they will begin play in the Wadadli Bowl at the National Tennis Camp Site in St John’s, starting today.