The national men’s tennis team’s chances of advancing to the next round of the Group III Americas tournament look slim, after losing its second series in as many days on Tuesday at the Palmas Athletic Club Humacao, Puerto Rico.
After losing 3-0 to Costa Rica on Monday in the best-of-three series, the T&T team lost 3-0 to Bermuda on Tuesday in pool B action. Vaughn Wilson was the first on court for T&T on Tuesday, coming up against Gavin Manders of Bermuda. Manders jumped out to an early lead, winning the first set 6-3. Wilson fought back to take the second set 7-5 to level the match. Unfortunately, Manders outlasted Wilson in the third set 6-1.
In the second match, David Thomas (Bermuda) breezed past Javier Lewis of T&T 6-2, 6-2 to clinch the series.
In the final match, the T&T pair of Akiel Duke and Lewis tried to get a consolation win in a doubles match against Jensen Bascome and Neal Towlson. However, Bermuda made it a clean sweep winning the encounter 6-1, 6-1.
T&T is among five teams in pool B, which also includes Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Bahamas, Honduras, Panama and Cuba are in pool A. The first and second place finishers in each pool will advance to the next stage of Group III qualifying. The remaining four teams will then aim to finish in the top two to compete in the Americas Zone Group II next year.
T&T was scheduled to face Jamaica, yesterday.