T&T’s Anneliese Rose was the only winner for the host nation yesterday, the second day of the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) Women’s Circuit $15, 000 Tournament at the National Racquet Centre (NRC) in Tacarigua.
Rose the most consistent player for T&T at the Fed Cup, got the better of her compatriot Anya King in the Women’s Singles 6-2, 6-3 on Stadium court, before facing the disastrous news that all the other T&T players, Carlista Mohammed and Soizette Simmons were beaten in their encounters.
Yolande Leacock, the highest ranked T&T player at 1212, was still on the court against Alexandra Riley of the United States up to press time last night, along with Mohammed and Rose, both teaming up to face the US pair of Shelby Prince and Anna Baranovski in the Women’s Doubles. In Leacock’s first taste of action on Monday, she partnered with the US Alexandra Riley to defeat the United States duo of Stephanie Nemtsova and Rushri Wijesundera 4-6, 6-4, 0-8 in the women’s doubles.
Simmons, playing her first game of the tournament, went down to the tournament’s number #2 seed Kirsten-Andrea Weedon of Guatemala in straight sets 6-2, 6-0. On the fifth court outside, number #4 seed Akilah James of the USA wasted little time in disposing of Vivian Mayumi Toma 6-3, 6-0, while Kayla Rizzolo recovered from a second-set loss 2-6 to triumph over Alycia Parks 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in an all-American affair on the same court.
There was also a victory for Great Britain’s Katarzyna Pitak who overcame a battling Idia Amen of the US 6-4, 6-3, as well as Mexico’s Andrea Renee Villarreal, the tournament’s sixth-ranked player, who prevailed 5-0 retired against Christine Maddox of the USA on court six.
WALTER ALIBEY