MAIZ Sinclair and Michaelann Denton captured the boys and girls singles titles, respectively, at the second staging of the Mayberry Investments Limited Open Junior Tennis Championships that ended at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston on Sunday.

The two-day event saw approximately 100 of the island’s top junior players contesting five different age-group categories. They played in hot and humid conditions but played some exciting matches.

The Boys 18 singles final was easily won by top seed Sinclair who swept past unseeded Ryan Simms, 6-2, 6-1. Sinclair advanced to Sunday’s final with a crushing 6-0, 6-0 win over unseeded Jeremy Wilson, while Simms upset second-seeded Oshane Wright, 6-1, 6-2.

Meanwhile, the Girls Open singles final was a battle for the two finalists, 16-year-old Denton, the top seed and Phadria Kepple, the second seed who pushed the match into a tie-breaker to decide the eventual winner.

First-set action between Denton and Kepple was hardfought as the two were level at 5-5 before Kepple, the 18-year-old former past student of Wolmer’s, won the next two games to take the set 7-5.

Denton played a much different game in the second set and at one stage led 4-1. She gave Kepple little chance of coming back by producing well-placed shots, while the majority of her opponents’ returns went outside as she easily won the next two games to win 6-1 and tie the match at 1-1.

Denton, the former Immaculate Conception student who attends Berkshire High in Boston United States, outplayed Kepple in the deciding tie-breaker to win 7-2 and the match.

In the Girls Open semis, Denton whipped third-seeded Danielle Grant, 6-0, 6-1, while Kepple brushed away unseeded Stephanie Franz in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. Franz had upset fourth seed Alex Marzouca, 8-2, in the second round.

Denton said she was satisfied with her win. “It was really a hard-fought and tough match. After losing the first set I decided to play my own game and I started to get my shots more accurately placed and played extremely well from then onwards to come out victoriously,” she said.

Top-seeded William Berry, the 16 and under Pan Caribbean Bank All-Jamaica Junior champion, made light work of fourth-seeded Roshane Allen, 6-1, 6-1.

In his semi-final, Berry whipped third seed Roshane Henry, 6-1, 6-1, while Allen upset second seed Nicholas Malcolm Jr, 6-4, 4-6 (7-4 tie-breaker).

No 1 seed Kyle Martin defeated second seed Shane Phillips, 6-3, 6-3, to capture the Boys 14 title.

In the semi-finals, Martin whipped third seed Shavti Pinchas, 6-0, 6-1, while Phillips beat Cliff Dwyer, 6-4, 6-1.

No 1 seed Pinchas captured the Boys 12 singles title, 8-3, over second seed Justin McLean, while the Girls 12 event was won by second-seeded Mikhala Stephens, who outlasted top seed Jolie Chin, 8-4.

Top-seeded Damani Cain defeated second seed Richard Barnett, 8-1, to win the Boys 10 singles title.

Sigourney Hitchins, investment officer of Mayberry, said she was pleased with the performance of the players.

“It is a part of nation-building and we hoped to continue our sponsorship in the near future,” she said.

Tournament director Llockett McGregor said the tournament was exciting over the two days and he was pleased. He thanked sponsor Mayberry Investments for making it possible.

Meanwhile, Tennis Jamaica head John Bailey thanked the sponsors for their support and the players and parents.

“This kind of tournament is good for our tennis development throughout Jamaica,” he said.