Top seeds Melena Lopez and Russell Moseley put on a display of class and gritty determination to advance to the next round of the BNB Competition when the action continued yesterday at the Ocean View Courts.
With the players enjoying a day free of rain disruptions, Moseley who is ranked No. 2 in the Men’s Open, had to fight from a set down to stop Renaldo Gibson 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Moseley’s fitness and focus made the difference in the match, which lasted over 90 minutes.
The bespectacled Moseley was the picture of an erudite professor but, from early the strongly built Gibson, sporting a Gael Monfil hairstyle, seemed keen to do the teaching.
With rasping serves and smashes both in the backhand and forearm, Gibson threatened to make a mockery of the rankings.
However, with uncanny concentration and a calm approach, Moseley showed why he was on the brink of a professional tennis career some years back as he cranked up some powerful aces and countered with high-class shots to take the second set and then the decider.
In the quarter-finals Moseley will battle Simon Lewis, who disposed of No. 6 seed Dillon Hall.
Left-hander Lopez recreated the David vs Goliath scenario as the pint-sized player was physically dwarfed by the intimidating Anna Lee Pope who made all of the early running to force the women’s No. 1 to call on all of her skills.
Lopez’ handling of the baseline, as well as her ball control down both sides of the court, was instructional for the young players in the audience as she stopped Pope 6-4, 6-0.
A packed programme was completed with Ajani King advancing to the Boys’ 14 and Under semis by beating Kyle Frost 4-0, 4-1. No. 2 seed Andrew Symmonds disposed of No. 7 Aquille Trotman 4-0, 4-0, while fourth seed Yannick Polanen reached the quarter-finals by pipping Gabriel Taylor 4-0, 1-4, 4-2.
The girls’ matches in the 14-and-Under age group saw Symphony Griffith reaching the finals by whipping Megan Gilkes 4-1, 4-1, while Ilana Blackwood stopped Racquelle Toppin 5-3, 5-3.
An upset occurred in the Boys’ 16 and Under division, with unseeded Liam Luke taking out No. 4 Gavin Hutchinson 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. Jordan Every, who is ranked No. 2 in the Boys’ 10 and Under section, crushed James McKenzie 6-0.
In a doubles match in the Boys’ 12 and Under division, Every and Frost put a chill on Christopher Phillips and Aaron Hayden, winning 8-6.
