The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

RETURNING player/captain Marvin Rolle said he likes the makeup of the Bahamas team for the men’s Davis Cup competition in Panama next month.

While Rolle was renamed by the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association as the player/captain, he will be joined by first year player Justin Roberts and returning players Kevin Major Jr and Baker Newman as they play out of American Zone III. “We have Justin playing with us for the first time, but he’s been out there (on the professional circuit) and he has some computer points, so he will be playing at number one,” Rolle said. “We also have KJ at number two and then we have Baker who has been a strong singles and doubles player for us.

“I am also there playing doubles. I think I’m still one of the best players we have playing doubles, so I think we have a solid team. I think we will do very well this year.”

With tennis, like other sports hampered by the coronavirus pandemic, Rolle said the players are all self-motivated because it’s been over a year since they’ve had an opportunity to play at such a high calibre of tennis.

“KJ has been training hard. He’s going to Germany to play in a major tournament before he joins us and Justin is also playing in some tournaments,” Rolle said. “Baker is training as well in the United States and I’m here working and training with the young players in the Mark Knowles Tennis Bahamas Academy. “So, I think we’re all anxious to get out there and play again.”

Davis Cup, according to Rolle, is one of those tournaments where the Bahamian players normally come together and gel as a team. “Before Davis Cup, we’re all in different places, but when we come together, we understand what needs to be done and we work together as a team,” he pointed out. “So, I don’t expect anything different this time round.

“I know this is Justin’s first time on the team, but he’s been a part of other teams, including college, so I know he will fit in very well.”

For the Bahamas to be successful in climbing back out of Zone III and into Zone II, Rolle said the players will have to play some solid tennis.

“We know that other top teams like Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Jamaica, so we definitely have our hands full, but it’s not like we never beaten these guys before,” he summed up. “So we definitely have the opportunity to beat them again.

“Justin might be the highest ranked player there, so that would say a lot for the Bahamas. I think our guys will go out there and perform well. So I know we will do very well.”

At the last Davis Cup competition in 2019, Rolle guided the Bahamas’ team of Philip Major Jr, Justin Lunn, Baker Newman and Donte Armbrister to the final of Zone III where The Bahamas lost 2-0 to Honduras.

The 2020 Davis Cup was called off because of the pandemic.

Rolle returns as the most experienced member of Team Bahamas, having played Davis Cup since 2001. He has compiled a 40-32 win-loss record, including 14-15 in singles and 26-17 in doubles.

Major Jr has played in four ties with a 5-7 record, including 4-7 in singles and 1-0 in doubles. Newman is 11-4 in the three years he played, going 9-4 in singles and 2-0 in doubles.