Bermuda Men’s Tennis Team Win Bronze Medal
[Written by Stephen Wright]
The Bermuda men’s tennis players have claimed the island’s first medal at the NatWest International Island Games in Guernsey after winning bronze in the team event today [July 9].
The team event, which follows the Davis Cup format – saw Bermuda receive a bye in the Round of 16 before defeating the Isle of Man in a hard-fought contest in the quarter-finals.
In the first singles match, James Finnigan beat Sean Drewry 2-1 in a thrilling encounter, losing the first set 6-1, and taking the second 6-3 before winning a tie-breaker 1-0 [10].
His Bermuda team-mate Christopher Weeks lost the second singles match 2-0 to Orry Farnworth, 0-6, 5-7.
In the men’s doubles match, Bermuda’s pair of Finnigan and Gavin Manders dug deep to defeat Drewry and Farnworth 2-1, winning 3-6, 6-3, 1-0[6] to set up a semi-final against Jersey.
In the first singles match against Jersey, David Thomas lost to Stuart Parker 2-0, going down 6-3, 6-0. Scott Redmond was beaten 2-1 by Scott Weaver, 5-7, 6-4, 1-0[3] in the second singles match.
![Island Games Bermuda July 9 2023 [1]](https://cloudfront.bernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Island-Games-Bermuda-July-9-2023-1.jpg)
Speaking on the quarter-final win over the Isle of Man, Finnigan told Bernews: “It’s huge for us to start the week off with a bronze. I started off playing into the game [against the Isle of Man], lost the first set, won the second, and took the ten-point breaker.
“Chris, first time out had a tough one [in his singles match], and then me and Gavin went out in the doubles and did our thing.”
Manders, Bermuda’s most successful Island Games athlete, said the semi-final against Jersey would always be a tricky affair.
“We wanted a little higher than bronze, but a medal is a medal,” he said. “We’re here to win medals and we’ve got one. Hopefully, that can set the tone for the rest of the week for the whole Bermuda team.”
Meanwhile, the Bermuda women’s team of Shelby Madeiros and Victoria Stephens lost 2-0 to Gotland in the quarter-finals of their team event, which follows the Billie Jean King Cup format.
Madeiros was beaten 2-0 by Tzvetelina Havren, 2-6, 1-6, while Stephens was defeated 2-0 by Melliz Petkova-Mustafa, 0-6, 1-6.
![Island Games Bermuda July 9 2023 [2]](https://cloudfront.bernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Island-Games-Bermuda-July-9-2023-2.jpg)
Triathlon
In the women’s triathlon, Elizabeth Brewin finished the Olympic-distance race in ninth in 2hr 30min 34sec. Her splits were 24:44, 1:19:11 and 45:22.
Her teammate Megan Diel placed twelfth in 2:34:21. Her splits were 28:13, 1:18:06 and 46:19.
In the individual men’s triathlon, William Green came sixteenth in 2:18:06. His splits were 24:26, 1:13:49 and 38:29.
His teammate Christopher Hands-Jackson did not finish.
Clay Shooting
Bermuda clay shooters J. Andrew Pereira and James Davis finished seventh in the Olympic Team Skeet event. They shot a total of 78 from their five rounds.
Pereira shot 15, 10, 14, 16 and 55. Davis shot 5, 4, 7, 7 and 23.
Sailing
Nicole Stovell is in fourth position after the opening two rounds of the ILCA 6 class after finishing third and seventh for a total of ten.
Ahzai Smith is in eighth after finishes of seventh and ninth for a total of 16.
Stovell told Bernews: “The first race went well. The conditions are constantly changing here. The wind dropped out in the second race, the currents changed direction, and the clouds came.
“I’m feeling more confident after today, and hopefully, I can do well.”
Badminton
Isle of Man 5 Bermuda 0
Bermuda 5 Froya 0
Isle of Wight 5 Bermuda 0
Well done and congratulations you gave your best of which I am proud. Good job