Never prepared to say die, Gabrielle Leslie battled back against the odds to preserve her status as the queen of the Barbados Tennis Association’s Top 8 singles tournament.
A long-time rivalry in local tennis added another chapter to its memorable storybook, after Leslie shocked Barbados’ best female player Hannah Chambers and got sweet revenge in the final at the National Tennis Centre on Thursday night.
With her title slipping away, the 17-year-old played with passion and determination en route to a valiant 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback victory over arch-nemesis Chambers in a two-hour-long showdown on court No.2.
“It was a tough match because Hannah is a good player. I wanted to come in and do my best because that is what I worked on and that is what I did. This is really important because I have been training really hard on my fitness so I can do the three sets.
“There was no pressure I just wanted to play my best. I didn’t feel tired at all; I could have gone for another set or match. I will take a little break and then start back up and prepare for my next tournament,” Leslie said in a post-match interview. (A G-B)
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