The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

JACOBI Bain got one of the early surprising victories as the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s 2018 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals Challenge got underway yesterday at the National Tennis Center.

In the week-long tournament, featuring the majority of the top players - both professionally or collegiately - home to compete, rising star Bain emerged with a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-2, 10-8 triumph over veteran Marvin Rolle, one of the perennial male star players.

Other winners on the men’s side were Philip Major Jr, Jody Turnquest and Baker Newman, all of whom played with Rolle last year when the Bahamas emerged out of the American Zone III Davis Cup tie to Zone II for 2019.

And Kevin Major Jr, who missed the last Davis Cup tie, stormed back at home with an impressive two-set victory over Archie Burrows. At the end of the tournament on Saturday, the BLTA is hoping to identify the top five players who will be in the team selection process for the 2019 Davis Cup.

Bain upsets Rolle

in tiebreaker

Jacobi Bain, fresh off his appearance in the final of the Eddie Herr boys under-16 singles, continues to perform well as he rallied back to clinch the upset over Rolle 2-6, 6-2, 10-8.

After taking control of the match in the first set, Rolle was serving at 2-3 when Bain got the break and secured the win.

In the tiebreaker, Bain opened a 4-1 lead, but Rolle fought back as they battled it out right to the end.

“It was pretty good. The first set he was all over me and in the second set, I got back into it and I think I played some of my best tennis,” Bain said.

“After I got out all of the nerves in the first set, I started playing much better. I started to give him a better fight. I just wanted to come out here and have some fun and not worry too much about the pressure.”

Bain, just 15 years old, said his goal is to get through to the main draw and play as best as he could.

Despite the loss, Rolle, 35, said he enjoyed playing against Bain, one of the3 country’s rising young stars.

“It’s always fun playing against the young boys,” he said. “He’s an up and coming junior, so I wanted to go out there and enjoy it from start to finish. That is what I play this tournament, to enjoy the competition.”

Rolle said it’s good to see the level of competition where the players are as they look forward to the Davis Cup tie next year.

But he admitted that there is a lot of pressure playing at home because none of them like to lose.

• Major Jr over Lunn in two sets

In a showdown between two left handers, Philip Major Jr out-lasted Justin Lunn for a 6-3, 6-1 win.

Up a break after the first game, Major Jr got broke by Lunn and the two battled it out in the first set. After he managed to settle down, Major Jr picked up his game in the second set and played a lot better.

“It was okay. I had some roller coaster here and there, but I was still able to pull it out,” Major Jr. said. “It wasn’t easy playing against Justin. I’m just happy that I got the win.”

With no expectations for the rest of the tournament, Major Jr, 22, said he just want to go out and play his best against the top players entered.

“This tournament means a lot to me because I love to play for my country,” said Major Jr, who was proud to have secured the singles match that helped to advance the Bahamas in Davis Cup this year.

“I like to always go out there and give it my best in this tournament because I want to be able to make the team that is going to Davis Cup.”

The 27-year-old Lunn, who has been in training in Coral Springs, Florida under coach David Russell after spending about as year in Canada, said it was a rough match for him.

“I was a little rusty, but hopefully I can improve on my performances as the tournament goers on,” he stated. “This first match was really slow for me. I started off really, really rusty.

“But I will maintain better results.”

• Newman prevails over Francis

Playing after a hectic three week schedule in the Dominican Republic, Baker Newman survived a painful 6-3, 6-3 win over Shannon Francis, 21.

“My body is killing me,” said Newman, whose performance showed especially with his service. “I was in the Dominican Republic 48 hours ago playing in my quarter-final match, so every muscle on my body is hurting right now.

“This is my fourth tournament in a row in a span of 25 days, so I’m really tired.”

Newman, 23, said instead of playing more singles, he will team up with his brother Spencer, 25, as they concentrate on the doubles competition that was added to the tournament.

• Most notably missing from the tournament is Justin Roberts. As the only Bahamian player with any ATP computer ranking, 22-year-old Roberts has declined to participate after enjoying a successful campaign at Arizona State University and on the pro circuit.