The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

JALISA Clarke started her collegiate tennis career with a bang, winning all five of her matches in singles and doubles competition at her first college invitational - the SIAC Fall Open.

The 18-year-old Grand Bahama native, who attends Tuskegee University, recorded three singles victories and two doubles wins against opponents from Clark Atlanta, Spring Hill, Alabama State and Edward Waters, giving her an encouraging start to her freshman season.

Clarke opened her singles campaign with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Clark Atlanta before producing a commanding 6-3, 6-0 win against Spring Hill. She completed her singles run with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Alabama State.

In doubles, Clarke partnered with fellow Tuskegee player Asia McRae to secure victories over Edward Waters, 8-6, and Spring Hill, 8-4, completing an unbeaten run at the invitational.

Despite the successful results, Clarke admitted that nerves played a significant role heading into her first tournament of the season, particularly with the responsibility of representing her university. “I’ll be completely honest, this was my first tournament of the season due to circumstances beyond my control, so I was pretty nervous and that constant feeling of not wanting to let my team down stayed with me a lot,” she said.

The level of competition, however, was exactly what Clarke had been looking forward to experiencing since making the move to the United States.

She described collegiate tennis as a significant step up from what she had previously encountered and welcomed the opportunity to test herself against stronger opposition.

“Honestly, it was extremely competitive and it’s definitely a whole new different level of tennis over here, and that’s what I’ve been wanting for a while,” she said.

The transition to college has also required Clarke to adjust to life away from home, balancing academic responsibilities with the demands of training and competition.

She identified time management as her biggest adjustment, with her daily schedule often revolving around classes, practice and other university commitments.

However, she credited the welcoming environment at Tuskegee, particularly her teammates and coaching staff, for making the transition considerably easier.

“My teammates and coach are extremely welcoming and everyone here is really helpful. Anything you need, they are willing to help. I couldn’t ask for it any other way,” Clarke said.

On the court, she believes one of her biggest areas of development has been learning to construct points more effectively rather than relying solely on individual shots. “I would say I developed a more structured part of the game, learning how to put points together and construct points,” she said.

Clarke also highlighted the support of her coaching staff, noting the importance of having people around her who understand the challenges of pursuing a collegiate career far from home.

Her ambitions extend beyond simply establishing herself in the Tuskegee programme. She hopes to work her way into the top two positions on the team during her time at the university while continuing to contribute as a dependable teammate.

“One of my main goals would probably be playing at top two for my team for the time I am there.

“Also, to just continue to be a team player and hold my team together through the good and the bad times,” she said.

The Grand Bahama native also has her sights set on potentially pursuing professional tennis after completing her collegiate career, although she wants to ensure that path aligns with her faith and personal convictions.

Clarke’s journey to the collegiate level comes after she captured three consecutive Bahamas national titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025, establishing herself as one of the country’s promising young players.

She also draws inspiration from fellow Bahamian collegiate player Michael Major Jr, whose approach to the game has helped shape her outlook on competing at the next level.

Clarke pointed to Major’s ambition, point construction and ability to remain composed under pressure as qualities she hopes to emulate as she continues developing.

Representing Grand Bahama is another responsibility she does not take lightly, particularly given the relatively small number of players from her hometown who have progressed to collegiate tennis.

She believes her opportunity at Tuskegee can help establish a pathway for other young players from the island to pursue similar opportunities.

“It is actually really important seeing that there haven’t really been much players from my hometown (Freeport) going off to college. So it is very important because I have now set the standards and the expectations for everyone else that’s playing tennis coming out of Freeport,” Clarke said.

Beyond the victories and individual ambitions, Clarke said tennis has taught her the importance of humility and appreciating every opportunity.

“Anything you have now can be taken away from you in a blink of an eye, so just enjoy what you have and live in the moment,” she said.

Her message to young Bahamian players who may be waiting for their opportunity to compete at a higher level is to remain patient and maintain their faith.

“When you feel as if you’ve been waiting for too long, just remember God is waiting for the right time,” Clarke said.