Downes makes successful return to tennis as GBTI Open commences
COLLEGE player Anthony Downes made a successful return to local tennis when he teamed up with Leyland Leacock to easily dispose of Gairy Myers and Adam Alves 6-1 6-0 in the opening Men’s Doubles match when action in the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GTA) organized GBTI sponsored Open tournament got underway at the GBTI courts last Saturday.
The 19 year old Downes who is a former national Under-18 champion, is back home on vacation was off the local scene over the past year after securing a tennis scholarship and is expected to challenge for the Men’s title.

In the Men’s Singles he will face stiff competition from defending champion Jeremy Miller, Macorp Open champion Ezra Sue-Ho and former multiple times champion Phillip Squires who is also here on vacation and goes into action today against Gairy Myers.

In the other opening match, top Junior pair Shawna Gentle and Aruna Ramrattan played excellently to get past veteran pair Carol Humphrey and Thi Fernandes in Ladies Doubles action, using superior ground strokes to win 6-3, 6-4.
In other matches, junior Seanden David Longe proved to be too much for a rusty Mario Niamatalli as his consistent play allowed him to easily get by the Berbician  6-1 6-2 whilst veteran Andre Lopes got by a game Bishan Dalip 6-1 6-2 who played well but could not convert key points.

Berbician Osata Dos Santos was the other winner in Saturday’s matches as he battled to overcome Rajesh Ramrattan 6-2, 6-2 while in Junior matches played yesterday, Craig Campbell created an upset as he came from one set down to defeat the more favoured Dominic Fraser 1-6, 7-6, 6-1 to advance in the Boy’s 18 Singles.

Other winners on the day were Rajesh Ramrattan who battled hard to overcome a feisty Regan Mc Kay 6-2 7-5, Khalif Gobin who rolled over Deenath Mohabeer 6-0 6-0 and Judah Stepheney who overcame Alexander Brassington 6-1 6-4

The results for the two opening days are as follows, Saturday Results: Ladies Doubles – Shawna Gentle and Aruna Ramrattan stopped Carol Humphrey and Thi Fernandes   6-3 6-4 while in the Men’s Doubles   Leyland Leacock and Anthony Downes got past the pair of Gairy Myers and Adam Alves 6-1, 6-0.

Men’s Singles –  Seanden David Longe defeated Mario Niamatali  6-1  6-2, Osata Dos Santos turning back the challenge of Rajesh Ramrattan  6-2,  6-2 and Andre Lopes  getting past  Bishan Dalip  6-1 6-2.
On Sunday, action in the Boy’s 18 Singles saw Rajesh Ramrattan defeating Regan Mc Kay 6-2, 7-5, Craig Campbell upsetting Dominic Fraser 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, Judah Stepheney getting past Alexander Brassington 6-1, 6-4 and Khalif Gobin stopping Deenath Mohabeer 6-0, 6-0.