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Yolande
Leacock
BY
EVERARD GORDON
Yolande Leacock won her semifinal match of the IBM/ITF Junior
Tennis Circuit against number one seed, Ukrainian Iryna Matiychyk
in a tense three setter at the Jean Pierre Complex yesterday.
Leacock was the last T&T player in the Under 18 tournament
and appeared to be up against it facing the top seed.
Both players appeared tense in the first set and dropped first
service games to see the score at 1-1. In the third game there
were eight deuces before Matiychyk held her service to lead
and Leacock compounded the agony by double faulting three
times in her service game to give away a 4-1 lead. The set
ended with Matiychyk a comfortable winner at 6-3.
Leacock, playing with more composure in the next, changed
her tactics, was still inconsistent in her serving but won
rallies that saw her take the second set at 4-6.
The third was marked by some rallies in which Leacock went
to a 5-2 lead having had two service breaks and eventually
took the match at 6-3.
Ekaterina Rybakova of the USA was too powerful and consistent
for the valiant Victoria Brook of England and won in straight
sets.
That sets up the final between two girls trained at Bill Adams’
Academy and who are doubles partners.
Jamaica’s Dominic Pagon went out to the speedy and aggressive
Ricardas Berankis of Lithunia. The game featured many sharp
rallies where reflexes played a big part. Berankis was more
consistent and came from a set down to win in three. He lost
the first in a tie-breaker, but immediately picked his game
up and won the next without dropping a game. He never let
the momentum fall and ran out comfortably in the third.
Aruba’s Gian Hodgson also battled to get past Rasid Winklar
of Netherland Antilles and set up his final against the rampant
Berankis.
Play begins today at 9 am with the Girls’ final followed
by the Boys’ at the Jean Pierre Complex and with the
Under 14’s final rounds at the PSA Facility.
The presentation function follows at the PSA Facility from
4 pm.
SEMIFINAL
RESULTS
BOYS UNDER 18:
Ricardas Berankis (Ltu) def Dominic Pagon (J’ca); Gian
Hodgson def Rasid Winklar .
GIRLS UNDER 18: Yolande Leacock def Iryna Matiychyk 3-6, 6-4,
6-2; Ekaterina Rybakov (USA) def Victoria Brook (GB) 6-2,
6-2.
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