Barbadian trio sweep into Under-12 team competition

Barbados boys’ tennis team of Dimitri Kirton, Zane Kirton and Travis Licorish, under the tutelage of non-playing captain Damien Applewhaite, have qualified for the 2022 ITF-COTECC Under-12 Masters Team Competition.

The trio qualified for the tournament in convincing style with a perfect record of 3-0 in ties and 9-0 in matches played in the 2022 ITF-COTECC Under-12 Sub-Region 4 (SR4) Team Competition staged this week in Trinidad.

There were nine boys’ and five girls’ teams in the SR4 team event vying for two spots each in the 2022 ITF-COTECC U12 Masters Team Competition to be held at the end of the month in the Dominican Republic.

The top two teams in SR4 will get the opportunity to take part against the finest players from the wider Caribbean and Central America in the Masters.

The Barbados team was placed in round robin Group 1 alongside Trinidad & Tobago 2, Grenada, and St Lucia.

Their day one tie was against the St Lucians and Zane defeated Denney Estavia in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in the first match.

It was sweet revenge for the Barbadian after he had earlier in the year lost the C.O. Williams Under-12 Invitational semi-final to Denney.

Zane was followed by his older brother, Dmitri, who made light work of the C.O. Williams Under-12 Invitational winner Alhil Cyril 6-0, 6-1 in the No. 1 singles match.

Dimitri then teamed up with Travis Licorish and completed the first day with a resounding 6-0, 6-0 win over Alhil and Sajay Lake. On day one Trinidad & Tobago 2 had defeated Grenada 3-0, and was also in pole position.

On the second day against Grenada, Zane again played the No. 2 singles and defeated Jayden Bristol 6-1, 7-5.

Dimitri brushed aside Grenada No. 1 Anthony Frank 6-2, 6-0, before Zane and Travis played the doubles and were able to complete the clean sweep with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over the same two boys.

The third day was important for the Barbadian trio and Trinidad & Tobago 2. Both teams needed a win to ensure qualification for the Masters event.

Zane faced Oliver Harrigan in a marathon, with long games and long rallies, which tested the determination of both players.

Zane drew first blood taking the opening set 6-3, but Harragin regrouped and won the second set 6-4, sending the match into a third set.

The ten-year-old Barbadian pulled off the victory, winning 6-2 in the third set to keep the 100 per cent winning record in tack.

Non-playing captain Damien Applewhaite (left) with the successful Barbados boys’ tennis team (from left) of Travis Licorish, and brothers Zane and Dimitri Kirton that qualified for the 2022 ITF-COTECC Under-12 Masters Team

Competition. (GP)

Zane Kirton hitting a forehand shot during

one of his matches. (GP)