Jamaica’s top seed Blaise Bicknell eased past Japan’s Ryota Kaneda in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 in the boys’ 18 and under singles as the 2017 staging of the Jamaica Cup International Tennis Federation (ITF) Juniors Tournament continued at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston yesterday.

Bicknell will face unseeded Gabriel Hurtado of Colombia. Hurtado pulled off a major upset when he defeated sixth seed Giorgio Soemarno of India after coming from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The 15-year-old Bicknell also advanced to the quarter-finals of the boys’ 18 and under doubles when he and his partner Callum Theaker of the Cayman Islands came from a set down to beat the unseeded pair of John Chin of Jamaica and Maceo Simpson of Great Britain.

Bicknell said that he was happy with the wins in both the singles and doubles, and was confident that he would defeat his opponent, who is a good player despite not being seeded in the main draw.

He said every match is a tough one and he won’t be taking any player lightly as everyone is fighting to win.

Meanwhile, the other Jamaicans were knocked out in the second-round as the island’s top female player Michaela Stephens went down in straight sets to unseeded Elode Petrecca of Canada 6-1, 6-1 in the girls’ 18 and under singles. Stephens had won her first-round match when she defeated Isabelle Exsted of the United States of America (USA) in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (7-4 tie-breaker).

Luke Quaynor of Jamaica was beaten in the second-round match yesterday by fourth seed Dennis Moses of Zimbabwe in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 4-6. He had won his first-round match by beating Kenta Nakamura of Japan 6-3, 6-1.

The other Jamaicans were eliminated from Monday’s first round. Romeo Edwards lost 6-0, 6-0 to Bicknell; Hurtado defeated Damani Cain of Jamaica 6-2, 6-2; John Chin lost 3-6, 2-6 to seventh seed Derrick Chen of Great Britain; Kalley Chin of Jamaica lost 0-6, 1-6 to third seed Kennedy Bridgforth of the USA; Jenna Harrison was beaten 0-6, 3-6 to Mary Jean Brumfield of the USA; Emma Dibbs went down 2-6, 0-6 to Myke Williams of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The tournament features several overseas players in the boys’ and girls’ 18 and under singles and doubles competitions.

The participating players are from the USA, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, Norway, Poland, India, China, Colombia, Sweden, Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Finland, Suriname, Bermuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Cayman Islands.