TOP-SEED Andrew Bicknell and unseeded Phadria Kepple captured the Boys and Girls 18-and-under singles titles, respectively, at the 2012 Pan Caribbean Bank All-Jamaca Junior Tennis Championships that ended at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre, Piccadilly Road yesterday.

Bicknell, who was highly favoured to win, had to work hard throughout in three entertaining and exciting sets before pulling off a thrilling 6-4, 6-7 (7-5 tie-breaker), 6-4 win over a gallant effort from second seed William Berry in three hours and 32 minutes.

Meanwhile, unseeded Kepple surprised everyone with her marathon three hours and 30 minutes three-setter win (5-7, 6-4, 6-3) over Shaddae Findley in the Girls 18-and-under singles final.

Bicknell who was registering his third consecutive win over Berry said after his hard-fought match: “He is a very good player and he has improved extremely well since I had played him.”

“The match was a very tough encounter, long and tiring but it was a very good final match. Berry played well in the second set to level the match at 1-1, but I decided not to give up and stay focused and concentrate on placing the ball out of his reach,” Bicknell said.

Berry said it was “a very challenging final”. “It was very tough especially with the windy condition… Bicknell played extremely well and kept the ball inside, while my shots were going wide on a number occasions. He is also a very tricky player,” Berry said.

Kepple, after copping the female prize said “I am happy to have won and I really feeling great for this moment”.

“I was confident that I would have won the game, but after losing the first set 5-7, I decided to change my playing strategy so as to get the better of my opponent,” she said.

Meanwhile, in the Boys 16-and-under final, second seed William Berry defeated top seed Roger Lyn 2-6, 3-3 to win the title. Lyn, who easily won the first set, began suffering dehydration in the second set and his asthma began acting up and he had to retire hurt in the second set and had to default the match to Berry. They played one hour and 40 minutes.

Prior to retiring, Lyn had earlier captured the Boys 14-and-under singles title by crushing fourth seed Didier Trail in straight sets 6-0, 6-0. He had a 40-minute rest period before playing Berry.

The Girls 16-and-under singles title was won by top seed Michaelann Denton who defeated second-seeded Shaeda Nickle in straight sets 6-1, 6-4.

Nickle however, had earlier captured the Girls 16 and under singles title when she stopped top seed Shae-Ann Kameka in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6 (7-0 tie-breaker) before facing Denton in the Girls 16-and-under final.

Meanwhile, Dwayne Hurman and Shian Kameka received the boys and girls sportsmanship award for the champions, while Roger Lyn who had to retire in his Boys 16-and-under singles final and Nickle were both presented with medals for being the most outstanding players during the championships.