Jamaica’s 14 & Under boys tennis team of Andrew Bicknell, Simon Levy, Dylan Levy and non-playing captain Peter Berry started off on a winning note at the World Junior Tennis 14 & Under Regional Qualifying Competition at The Eddie Taylor Public Courts in Port of Spain, Trinidad yesterday.

The Jamaicans overcame Nicaragua in a hard-fought duel by going up by two matches to love, after Bicknell and Simon Levy came through in two marathon singles matches.

At the #2 position Levy showed a lot of grit to defeat Vicente Moncada (Nicaragua) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. Eleven-year-old Bicknell followed at the #1 position with another three-hour encounter to beat Gustova Ramon (Nicaragua) 6-7, 6-2, 7-5. At two games all in the third set Bicknell injured his left leg so he had to change strategy and slow the game down. He used determination to outlast Ramon. Even though the tie is decided, a doubles match will follow.

The boys competition has 18 countries divided into six groups. Eight teams will emerge from the groups to the quarter-final stage. Jamaica have Nicaragua and the third seed Puerto Rico in their group.

Meanwhile, the Girls competition has 15 countries and Jamaica’s girls team of Nia Rose, Shaddae Findley, Michaelann Denton and non-playing captain Lisa Chin have been placed in Group Four, along with Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and the second seeded Guatemala. They were set to bow in action later yesterday against Guatemala.