NIRAV DOUGDEEN and Makeda Bain captured two singles titles apiece when the curtain fell on the Catch National Junior Championships yesterday at the National Racquet Centre, Orange Grove Main Road, Tacarigua.
After winning the Under-14 crown the day before, the latter scored a hard-fought 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 triumph over Madison Khan in the Under-16 final.
It was the fourth singles crown in three weeks for Bain, who lifted the Under-14 trophies in the Central America and the Caribbean Tennis Confederation (COTECC)-sanctioned tournaments in Barbados and Trinidad coming into this country’s most prestigious junior competition.
Khan also started the day with two singles titles in sight, and she was able to brush off the disappointment of losing a close two-hour final to finish the straight round-robin Under-18 event unbeaten.
Last year’s Under-14 champ was already assured of the title, but as she had done in her previous two matches in the straight round-robin event, she outclassed Laura-Li Maillard (6-0, 6-2) to finish the job.
Dougdeen was also in a clash by himself in the straight round-robin Boys Under-18 competition, and he had already done enough for gold before his final match yesterday.
Last year’s Under-14 champ, who had won his three matches without dropping a set, including 6-4, 6-1 over runner-up Jovan Garibana and 6-1, 6-2 over Jayden Mitchell, came out first thing yesterday and did not lose a single game to Kitwana Ramkissoon-Henry.
And with two players clashing later for their second title, Dougdeen defeated last year’s Under-12 winner Josiah Hills (6-3, 6-3) in the Under-16 final.
The latter had won their meeting for the same title in the RBC Junior Tournament in December, after losing their showdown at the quarter-final stage of the Under-14 division of this competition last year.
Hills, who was only six years old when he won the Under-10 title in 2019, was involved in two singles finals yesterday, and he started the day with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Khan’s brother Christopher for his second Under-14 crown in three years.
Zachery Anthony came from behind to nose out Daniel Ward 2-4, 4-1, 10/8 in the Under-10 final.
After being stunned by Anaya Roberts in the final of the Trinity Cup at the same venue the week before, Teijha Wellington gained revenge 4-1, 5-4 (7/5) in Thursday’s Under-12 final.
And fellow Tobagonian Favian Dates edged Trinity Cup runner-up Cruz Thornton 3-5, 4-2, 10/0 in the boys’ equivalent final of the six-day tournament.
Bong Roberie
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