The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THEY both got knocked out in the first round in singles, but Kerrie Cartwright and her American doubles partner Kariann Pierre-Louis will have a chance to play for their second doubles title on the 2018 International Tennis Federation Women’s Circuit.

The duo are in Trinidad & Tobago where they advanced to the final of the doubles in the $15,000 Tacarigua Women’s International Tennis Tournament.

The number two ranked duo did it by winning their semi-final match yesterday 6-2, 6-0 over the No.4 ranked team of Yolanda Leacock from Trinidad & Tobago and Alexandra Riley of the United States.

“We’re playing very well,” Cartwright told The Tribune. “We are into the final and so it would be amazing if we could win. That is our goal. That is what we are going for.”

They will face the top ranked team of Emily Appleton of Great Britain and Portillo Ramirez of Mexico. They advanced to the final by eliminating the No.3 seeded team of Andrea Renee Villarreal of Mexico and Kristen-Andrea Weedon of Guatemala. Their scores were 4-6, 6-3, (10-8).

Cartwright and Pierre-Louis are hoping to add to the first title they won together in Heraklion, Greece, in March.

“This definitely makes up for us not advancing in singles,” Cartwright said. “We felt we could have advanced in singles, but I love playing doubles, especially with my partner Kariann, so we are looking forward to playing in the final tomorrow (today).”

They both got to the second round in singles where Cartwright, the No.8 seed, got ousted by Csilla Fodor of Vietnam in a marathon three-setter 7-6 (4), 1-6, 7-5.

Pierre-Louis, the No.7 seed, went down 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 to fellow American Gail Brodsky. “I think I’ve been playing really good overall, but my singles was really tough,” said Cartwright, who was featured in The Trinidad Express after her first round victory. “It was a long match. It was very mental. The girl didn’t miss, so I had to come to the net and attack more and not get into the rally ball that she played.”

Once the tournament is done, Cartwright will be heading home on Saturday to start preparing to represent the Bahamas at the Fed Cup American Zone II Tie June 18-23 in Metepec, Mexico, where she will be reunited with Danielle Thompson, who has helped Morgan State to clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament that starts next week.