GSA/GT&T National Senior C/ships
Nicolette Fernandes and Kristian Jeffrey successfully defended their national titles when the Guyana Squash Association/GT&T sponsored National Senior Championships concluded at the Georgetown Club courts on Saturday evening.

Fernandes duplicated last year’s performance by also placing third in the men’s draw, but she may have had a tougher Ladies’ final than she was expecting against Keisha Jeffrey.

Fernandes was surprised by the young defending Caribbean champion as she unleashed a number of lethal kill shots which forced Fernandes into retrieval mode on several occasions, before Fernandes was able to stamp her authority and closed out the match in straight games.

The men’s final was a lot more competitive with the vastly experienced Regan Pollard doing battle with the young Jeffrey at the top of his game.

Jeffrey came out firing on all cylinders to race away with the first game 11/4 before Pollard slowed the pace and started moving his younger opponent around the court.

This paid dividends and Pollard was able to steel the second 11/9, he pulled out all the stops to get to game ball at 10-8 in the third but the physical exertion took its toll and Pollard was unable to recover.

Jeffrey held his nerve to finish the third 13/11, before ending the match in emphatic fashion by taking the fourth 11/5.

Ashley Khalil took third in the Ladies’ draw by outplaying the ever improving Kayla Jeffrey 3-1.

In the short presentation ceremony which followed the men’s final, tournament director Robert Fernandes thanked GT&T for their continued support over the years.

He also thanked the Georgetown Club and their staff for once again hosting the championships.

He ended the presentation by wishing the national junior team well before their departure on Friday for Barbados to defend the team and individual titles they won last year in Bermuda.

In full results from Saturday night’s matches, Nicolette Fernandes defeated Keisha Jeffrey 12/10, 11/6, 11/7 in the ladies final while Ashley Khalil beat Kayla Jeffrey 12/10, 4/11, 11/7, 11/5 in the ladies thirtd place play off.

In the men’s final, Kristian Jeffrey defeated Regan Pollard 11/4, 9/11, 13/11, 11/5 to successfully defend his title, while Nicolette Fernandes defeated Alexander Arjoon 11/5, 11/3, 11/5 to take third place.

In the ladies Consolation final, Mary Fung-A-Fat defeated Victoria Arjoon 9/11, 11/6, 11/7, 11/6, while Chantelle Fernandes received a walkover from Daina King in the third place play-off.

In the men’s Consolation final Robert Fernandes defeated Raphael deGroot 11/9, 11/8, 5/11, 7/11, 11/6, while Jerozeno Bell received a walkover from Deje Dias in the third place play-off.

Gabrielle Fraser received the Sportsmanship award, while Keisha Jeffrey was adjudged the Most Improved Player of the tournament.