GUYANA’s Benjamin Mekdeci played one of the most energetic matches of the night at the squash courts of the Georgetown Club yesterday, as did Makeda Harding, who, along with Taylor Fernandes all registered wins as the action in the Junior Caribbean Squash Championships got off to a hectic start.

Playing his first match of the day, Mekdeci came out swinging against Trinidad’s Nicholas Caddle to maintain his running in the boys Under- 19 category.
However, not moving on in this category is Guyana’s Alexander Cheeks. Still upbeat from his five set win against USA’s Reginald Brewster earlier yesterday, Cheeks had a hard time holding things together against Jamaica’s Jonathan Walker, losing 3 – 0, in his quarter finals match at the National Racquet Centre.

Over at the Georgetown Club courts, it was obvious that Mekdeci was the better of the two players.However, Caddle was not about to go out without a spirited fight, picking up a surprising 13 points across the match. However, the match would still end in a straight games win for Mekdeci
Despite Caddle picking up the first point in the first set, Mekdeci would gather three points before Caddle landed another, which was enough to give the Trinidadians something to cheer for.

The jubilation, however, would be short-lived as Mekdeci quickly romped to another six points. Caddle finally added another point before Mekdeci wrapped up the game 9-3.
For the second game, Caddle returned even more fired up and determined than ever, and it was a better set for Caddle as he traded points with Mekdeci, and had the game 2 – 2 before Mekdeci extended his lead to 5 – 2.
Caddle’s increased aggression was not all good however, as an attempt to return a high lob from Mekdeci sent him crashing into the glass. Shaking it off, Caddle took his final point before Mekdeci took the game.

Beginning to feel the pressure, Mekdeci realised he also needed to up the ante. He took the game 3 – 0, before Caddle equalized, and then had the game 4 – 0 in his favour. But Mekdeci was not about to go to a fourth game, pushing in several drop shots and eventually closing out the game 11 -7.
“I feel like I did a good job; I went out and did what I was supposed to do, to the best of my ability. Even though I believe I played well there is always room for improvement on certain aspects. I hit a couple of errors in the last game. I wasn’t trying to give him that many points but nothing ever go as planned in this game. Just for next game I have make it a little closer to what I picture as the perfect game,” Mekdeci commented following the match.

Mekdeci may have had one of the most energetic matches, but Fernandes had one of the most laid back game of the day, hardly breaking a sweat as she disposed of Bermuda’s Madeleine Rose 11 -1, 11 – 1, 11 – 2.
However, in the girls under -17 main draw, Harding almost did not make it into the semi-finals after Barbados’ Jodi Padmore-Smith was nearly more than she could handle, and was given a run in an intense five game showdown.

However, a determined Harding had the ultimate victory as she closed in with an 11 – 9, 11 – 8, 6-11, 4-11, 17 – 15 win.
In another Guyana-Trinidad showdown, the Guyanese Sarah Lewis defeated Jinan Al Rawi 11-4, 11-4,11-5 to make it into the quarter finals of the girls under- 17. She was next set to face off against barbados’ Meagan Best last night.