Two top-ranked men’s players were eliminated, while last year’s women’s champion advanced to the quarter-finals, as the Barbados Road Tennis Open continued on Wednesday at Diamond Corner, St Peter.
Following an epic 45-minute battle, Stephen Payne came from a game down to defeat fourth seed Antonio Lil Man Daniel.
Daniel won the hard-fought opening game 23-21, after saving three game points whilst down 17-20.
Payne sprang to life in the next two games matching Daniel shot for shot.
With the scores frequently level during the opening stages of the second game, Payne eventually moved ahead before going on to win 21-16 to set up the decisive third game.
In a repeat of the previous game, frequent lead changes occurred before the scores were locked at 14-14.
Payne then made a decisive move and never relinquished the lead to close out the contest at 21-16.
Sixth seed Julian Michael Jackson White was also eliminated, after a tough three-game battle with 11th seed Shawn Spencer.
Spencer took the first game 21-8 before White roared back to win the
second-game 21-14 and forced a decisive third.
The game was a closely contested affair, featuring several controversial calls, but Spencer held his nerve to prevail 21-17.
Third seed Dario Hinds had an early scare as Mosai Williams won their first game 21-18.
Hinds however bounced back to win the next two games 21-15 and 21-19, to book his quarter-final berth.
Three-time BRTO champion and last year’s losing finalist Mark Venom Griffith was in no mood for upsets, as he dispatched Raheem Nurse in straight sets 21-14, 21-11.
In ladies action defending women’s champion Sheldene Walrond had to dig deep, after falling behind early to Kyana Holder 21-11.
In the second game, Walrond then stormed to a 21-14 victory to set up the decider, which she won by a similar 21-14 scoreline.
2025 women’s runner-up Rachel Smith proved to be too strong for Rashida Holder, winning in straight games 21-8, 21-14.
In other results, Denise Collymore defeated Jalesa Holder-Vaughan 21-13, 21-10 and Kezia Blunt stopped Samantha Rogers 21-1, 21-11.
(KH/PR)
