BLAISE Bicknell, Ricardo Chambers, Craig Grant, and Kemila Whitby were the big winners in the grand finals of the Real Equity Open Tennis Championships which took place on Saturday, December 13 at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston.

Bicknell, one of the island’s top tennis players, was the winner in the Men’s Open, defeating another seasoned player, Randy Phillips, 6-3, 7-5.

“It feels good to win a tournament. Randy played an exceptional match, and I thought that the level was very high. I’m happy to get the win,” Bicknell told the Jamaica Observer following the exciting decider which was played in front of an energetic crowd.

For his part Phillips, who came back strong this season, said the match was a good test of his conditioning.

“Going in it was really to use it as a gauge to see where I am and how I can match up to someone at his level. I’m very happy with how I played,” said Phillips.

Bradley Delaphena, who lost to Craig Grant in the Men’s Class 3 category, said he was happy to have made it to his first final.

“I’ve exceeded my expectations. This is my first final, and I am pretty proud of my performance. I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t get it [victory] but we know what we need to do to advance into the finals next time,” said Delaphena.

Grant, who won 6-3, 7-5, shared that his main reason for entering the championship was to earn an early birthday gift.

“[For] today’s game the aim was just to go out there and get the balls over, and just to keep it mentally. I was also playing for my club, so that is a good thing,” said Grant, a 10-year veteran who plays for Liguanea Club.

Meanwhile, sports journalist Ricardo Chambers got the better of Chevaughn Crawford 6-4, 5-7, 10-8 to emerge as champion in the Men’s Class Two.

“It’s been an amazing journey this year. This was my third-straight Class 2 final and I was finally able to pull one off. To have the final point go my way was amazing,” Chambers disclosed.

He added, “The biggest thing for me was how I came up clutch in the biggest moments of the game.”

Winner of the Men’s Class 2 category, Ricardo Chambers (left), collects a trophy from Real Equity’s Managing Director Sean Shelton at the Real Equity Open Tennis Championship at Liguanea Club recently.

Kemila Whitby, winner of the Ladies Amateur category, said, “Going into the finals, I felt really good. I wasn’t playing my forehand but when I got into the match, it started to work.”

Whitby defeated Simone Hudson 6-2, 6-2.

She started playing tennis at Holy Childhood High and is a former national champion who continued playing while attending the University of Technology, Jamaica.

“Winning today feels great, awesome. When you put your mind to something, you can get it done,” Whitby affirmed.

Sean Shelton is the managing director of Real Equity, the title sponsor for the tournament. He described the four-year association with the tournament as seamless, with good synergy.

“Well, I’ve been involved in tennis since I was a youth, and when Llockett McGregor (tournament director) approached me, I said, ‘Why not?’

This is the fourth year of our association, and we hope to do it again next year. The partnership has been great, seamless, and a good synergy. We’ve been able to attract the top players in Jamaica, and a lot of fans have come out and supported,” said Mr. Shelton.

McGregor described the week-long tournament, which began on December 6, as excellent.

“It was an excellent tournament in terms of the participation, and the sportsmanship, and the support and response that we got from the spectators. It was a very successful tournament, and the spectators all enjoyed a very competitive and exciting finals,” McGregor said.

More than $1 million in cash prizes were up for grabs for the first- and second-place finishers. Each winner decided to donate their winnings towards hurricane relief.

Trophies were handed out to the winners following the culmination of the games.