The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Several new champions were crowned while others were able to repeat on the final day of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Junior Nationals, presented by the Byron Ferguson Foundation, at the National Tennis Centre.

Sydney Clarke led the field of winners and closed out the tournament with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Gabrielle Simms to claim the Girls’ 18U division for a second consecutive year.

Clarke, one of the top ranked junior players in the Bahamas, defeated Jasmine Thompson and Elena Mackey in the semi-finals en route to her title.

Peyton Anderson also repeated as champion in the 14U Girls’ division with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Sierra Rodgers.

Anderson also won the title in the 16U division with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Kinza Johnson.

Denali Nottage was also a multiple division winner. He took the 18U Boys with a 7-6, 7-6 win over Kofi Bowe and followed with a win over Michael Major Jr in the 16U division.

Major took the 14U Boys’ title in a rematch of last year’s final with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Anthony Burrows Jr.

In the Boys 12U, William McCartney took the division title with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Aidan Miller while Kayklee Kanuka took the girls’ division with a 6-2, retired win over Sierra Rodgers.

Chase Newbold won the Boys’ 10U division 5-4, 4-2 over Dionsio Hepburn while Mille Beukes won the Girls’ 10U 4-1, 4-2 over Sarai Clarke.

The family of Byron Ferguson is aiming to keep his memory alive by sponsoring the Junior Nationals through the foundation.

On Thursday, November 8, 2018, Ferguson’s six-seat Aztec aircraft crashed in waters off Nirvana Beach on a flight from West Palm Beach, Florida. Although parts of the wreckage were discovered, 32-year-old Ferguson is still missing. His brother, Bjorn Ferguson, said while tennis was very instrumental in Byron’s life as a former player and certified coach, they are still keeping hope alive that he is indeed alive.

“Through tennis, Byron was able to get a tennis scholarship at Florida Air Academy where he became a pilot,” Bjorn Ferguson said.

“He finished on top of his class. He was an excellent tennis player, who came back and played tennis, but also worked tirelessly as a tennis coach. So after the incident, we decided to try to find a way to memorialise his name.”

As a board member of the BLTA, Bjorn Ferguson said the decision was made to start with the tournament. Through the Byron Ferguson Foundation, the family, led by his wife Anya, sponsored the junior nationals.

“Going forward, we will look at some other ways that we can keep his memory alive,” he said. “We have some ideas because Byron was instrumental in young people. He really loved young people.

The BLTA now turns its attention to the international level as they prepare to host the International Tennis Federation’s Junkanoo Bowl which begins on Monday at the National Tennis Centre.