NO. 3 seed Curtis Jones had to dig extra deep to avert an upset at the hands of former national volleyballer Gregory “Coach” Gill when the St James Open Road Tennis Championship reached the quarterfinals stage on Tuesday night in Haynesville.
Jones had to call on his greater experience to surge from a game down to stop Gill 13-21, 21-14, 21-18. Jones avoided the ignominy of a sow in the first game when islandwide veterans champion Gill held game point 20-9.
Many times, Gill seemed to be coaching Jones in volleyball as he volleyed the ball high into the air forcing an anxious Jones to blast the ball wide or into the court.
On track to even score
Jones seemed on track to even the contest after losing the first game by rushing to an 11-3 lead in the second.
But Gill reeled in his opponent, edging to 10-11 before Jones motored off to take the second game.
Employing tremendous defence, Gill kept pace with Jones up to 12-13 before the superior experience of the higher ranked player saw him creating a gap.
Gill rallied from 13-17 to 17-19 but after rushing into the court to miraculously return a short ball, he dropped his racket with Jones simply parrying the ball into Gill’s body to take game and match point 20-17.
Jones quickly took the winning point to set up a battle tonight with Dario Hinds.
Hinds had matched his court play with his sartorial splendour by thrashing Kerry “TC” Francis 21-12, 21-13.
Ironically, Francis and Jones had teamed up to take the islandwide crown to St Lucy in 2016. Tonight, Hinds will be aiming to make it a double strike against that St Lucy duo.
Conceded game
Emar Edwards will also be looking to continue his great form after easily stomping on a non-venomous Julian “Snake” Quimby 21-11, 21-10. Quimby never looked a threat to Edwards and after averting the sow at 10-18 in the second game he conceded the game and match.
Tonight, Edwards meets the winner of last night’s game between the No. 2 seed Mark “Venom” Griffith and the talented Ellerslie schoolboyShaquan Henry.
Edwards was responsible for stunning the king of Silver Hill Griffith in their last battle which had sent Griffith on paternity leave.
Walrond vs Downey
In the women’s action, second seed Sheldene Walrond will face former national footballer Asabi Downey. On Tuesday, Walrond casually disposed of Heather Samuel 21-13, 21-7.
Taxi driver Marson Johnson also explored getting into the pig industry as he drove away Jamal Branch 21-8, 21-13.
The in-house one game battles saw Shaquan Morrisson edging Mario Forde 21-19, while Charles Burnette pipped Curtis Inniss 23-21, and Ryan Thomas defeated Canton Lynch 21-15. (KB)
