LEYLAND Leacock and Ronald Murray played undefeated over the weekend when the Guyana Tennis Association’s Year End Doubles tournament commenced.According to a release, the much anticipated tournament brought out many new faces in several categories, however, Leacock and Murray who had previously made it in the top ranking of the Men’s Open have now transitioned into the Men’s over 35.
Playing their first match in this category, they dismantled Steven David-Longe and Harry Panday who put up a stellar fight in the first 30 minutes of the match.
However, the team collapsed to a 6-1, 6-1 defeat to the two younger players.
Leacock and Murray’s next challenge in the round robin format was against Sandeep Chand and Sanjeev Datadin who gave them a close call. Nevertheless, the determined pair knuckled down at crunch time to secure the win at 6-3, 6-4.
In other results, Romario Chanderballi and Philbert Clarke out-manoeuvred Jeremiah Kalekyezi and Vadanan Resaul to win 6-3, 6-0 in the Men’s Open but subsequently fell at the hands of Stephen Bailey and Oswin Coggins at 6-4, 7- 5.
Close points and failure to covert by Chanderballi and Clarke gave Bailey and Coggins the narrow opening to drive the final ball home for the win.
Chand and Datadin are still alive in the same category as they took on junior national players, Hemraj Resaul and Jousha Kaleyezi, who stood their grounds against the senior players eventually exiting the competition at a 6-2, 6-4 lose.
On the ladies’ half, Coach Shelly Daly teamed up with student Fiona Bushel to defeat Kizzy Richmond and Denise Barrington 6-1, 6-0.
The latter partnership then defeated new comers Natalie Ramdyhan and Ciara Pooran, 6-3, 6-3.
In the mixed doubles, GBTI Novice winners Jamal Goodluck and Tandy Primo fell in their first open match to Kalyca Fraser and Jordan Beaton 6-2, 6-1.