Tennis Tournament In Santo Domingo Continues
Nick Lines quest to win the Consolation Singles event was halted by Andrew Bicknell of Jamaica during the JITIC 2013 Tennis Tournament in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic yesterday [Aug 7].
It was a match of three short sets that lasted the best part of two hours. The match started just after 9am over at the slippery Club Claro courts. Lines broke the Jamaican’s serve and went into a 3 – 0 lead. The Jamaican literally came charging back to even things up and go ahead himself 4 – 3. Bicknell was very handy around the net and he noticed if he rushed the net it would force Lines to go for winners. The plan was working well but every strategy comes with a price. Bicknell made a few crucial volley errors of his own and the score line was suddenly even at 4. The first set tie break went the way of Lines 7 – 4.
Being satisfied with the aggressive strategy, the Jamaican continued to charge forward in the second set, he even found himself on his backside a couple of times due to the slippery firm surface. It was all worth it as he took the second set comfortably 4 – 1.
The third set was more of a back and forth in change of fortunes, at 3 – 2 the Jamaican was serving for the set and match. With steady play and a better range in depth of shot, Lines kept his opponent from attacking at will, when he did he paid dearly.
Lines broke serve for 3 all and then went ahead 4 – 3. Fatigue was setting in and Lines could not close out the match on his serve, he was broken to bring the match to a third set tie break to decide the outcome. The Jamaican serving first, dropped the first point. Lines returned the favor with interest and dropped both his two service points, now 2 – 1 to Jamaica.
What follows next is an unexpected blur, Lines goes up and it’s now 5 – 2, but the gutsy Jamaican throws caution to the wind and charges Lines next serves, with a backhand winner down the line followed by a forced error on Lines, he is back in it trailing 4 – 5. The Jamaican completed the comeback claiming the next 3 points to win the tiebreak 7 – 5 and put himself in position to claim the consolation prize.
In Doubles action, Bermuda also went down in a tough two setter. Courtland and Billy Boyle were up against the Mexican pair Edgar Chicurel and Pablo Guerra.
This was a match of contrasting styles, as the Mexican pair both served with a topspin ground stroke motion which is a legal serve. This was not their usual serve motion it was speculated that they were protecting against an injury.
They found this action unnerving for both Boyles as they were taken out of their normal rhythm. It was something that Bermuda pair simply had to adapt to. They did well in the first set.
From 2 – 2, Bermuda found themselves serving for the first set at 5 – 2, but the Mexicans decided it was time to take a few risks, they took away the pace on their returns and charged the net, this allowed them to utilize their touch around the net and angled punch volleys, the Mexicans brought the set to 6 – 6. They continued their dominance to take the tiebreak 7 – 4.
Needing a change and recognizing some errors from Chicurel and Guerra, Courtland decided to “play back” at the baseline. There was some success until the Mexicans, with their good hands took advantage of the wider target area to play their returns into.
Adjustments and readjustments continued and soon it was 3 – 3 in the second set.
Bermuda’s service games got very shaky and they could not hold on in their final service game and the victory went to Mexico 7 – 6 [4], 6 – 4.
