BOY WONDER! Thirteen-year-old Darian King belied his age yesteday advancing to the second round in the Under-18 Division with a cakewalk victory over St Lucia's Ian Alcee.

by BERNARD BABB

FOUR BARBADIANS romped into the second round with convincing wins on the first day of the 2006 FirstCaribbean International Junior Tennis Tournament at the National Tennis Centre, Wildey, St Michael.

Brothers Darian and Christopher King, Seanon Williams and Bradley Bryan turned back the opposition yesterday and are bracing for a tougher test in second-round action today.

Thirteen year-old Darian, playing in the Under-18 Division in international competition for the first time, started a wave of home team triumphs as he dispatched St Lucian Ian Alcee 6-1, 6-0.

The Lodge school student, who turns 14 this month, ran away with the first set after a 4-1 lead and then dominated Alcee with good serving and solid top-spinning groundstrokes.

"I tried to be consistent and take the chances given to me and I won," said King, who picked up his first world-ranking points with the victory.

He next faces Trinidadian Michael Clarke, the No.7 seed, in today's second round and
is hoping to produce his best game.

Christopher followed the example of his younger brother as he dominated Shane Huggins of St Vincent in an aggressive straight sets victory 6-1, 6-1.

Fifteen-year-old Williams was in an equally domineering mood, hitting drive volleys and all, as he eliminated Winifred Weinbeer of Jamaica 6-2, 6-1.

Florida-based Bryan looked more businesslike in his encounter with American Cole Conrad and defeated him 6-1, 6-2 to set up a second-round appointment with Talian Carrega Barnabas.

Another local player Dario Parris, who qualified for the main draw as a lucky loser, bowed out 6-0, 6-2 to American Max Eppley while Devard Wharton was opposing Kirk DaSilva of St Vincent in his first-round match late yesterday.

Among the girls, Kristen Lopez found it tough against Italian Giadagiovana
D'ortona, losing 6-1, 6-1 on the hardcourts of the Tennis Centre.

The tournament, which has attracted about 150 players from 30 countries, continues today at 9 a.m. with Under-18 matches at Wildey and Under-14 competition at Rockley courts.