The Tribune

THE women’s national tennis team returned from the Dominican Republic over the weekend with a sixth place finish in the Billie Jean King Cup.

After completing Group A in second place with a 2-1 win-loss record, the team of player/captain Simone Pratt, Sydney Clarke, Elana Mackey and Sierra Rodgers advanced to the playoffs where they lost 3-0 to Puerto Rico.

The team had strong performances in the tournament which featured 17 nations in the Americas Group II.

At the tournament’s end, Bolivia and Peru were promoted to Group II with wins over the Dominican Republic and Uruguay respectively.

On Saturday, Team Bahamas played in the positional rounds against Puerto Rico.

In the opening match, Mackey, the number two seeded player for the Bahamas, ended her tournament with a huge victory in straight sets over Julienne Bou of Puerto Rico 7-6 (4), 6-4 in one hour and 52 minutes.

Mackey, who turns 20 on August 14, recorded three out of four singles match wins in the Billie Jean King Cup tournament.

Clarke, the No.1 seeded player at 20, played a competitive three-setter match against Isabel Snyder of Puerto Rico, but came up short 2-6, 7-6 (1), 3-6 in a marathon match that lasted two hours and 18 minutes.

With the matches split 1-1, it came down to doubles as Clarke and Mackey teamed up to face Puerto Rico’s Daniella O’Neil and Julieanna Bou.

It took one hour and 30 minutes for Bou and O’Neil to beat Clarke and Mackey in another hard-fought match that finished around 9pm.

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association congratulated the team as president Perry Newton thanked Pratt, Clarke, Mackey and Rodgers for their performances in representing the nation.

“This team had many firsts with Sierra Rodgers getting her first BJK team nomination and debut on the BJK court, Elana Mackey got her first BJK singles win, Sydney Clarke also got her first number one representation and Simone Pratt got her first BJK team captain position,” Newton said.

“We thank God for their successful top six finish among 17 nations in the Americas. The team has returned safely home today. We also thank our BJK sponsor, Fidelity Bank and Trust Bahamas Limited. The team had a rewarding time at the 2022 BJK Cup.”