THERE was disappointment among the home crowd as Jamaica’s top player Blaise Bicknell was eliminated from the ATP Kingston Open Lawn Tennis Tournament but his personal trainer, Chris Paul, remains optimistic, saying the defeat should not be viewed as a major setback.

Bicknell won the first set before succumbing to Spain’s Ivan Curbelo 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 in a match that lasted two hours and 18 minutes.

Paul said the match was closely contested and not one of Bicknell crumbling, as Curbelo refused to give away easy points and produced several difficult shots throughout the contest despite Bicknell hitting eight aces.

“I wouldn’t say he let it slip away; the guy was steady. The guy wasn’t giving him any easy points,” Paul said. “The guy made almost all the tough shots and stayed in the point.”

Bicknell and his team had spent the past three weeks preparing for the tournament after returning to Jamaica, particularly following his first-round loss the previous week. Despite the defeat, Paul said the team had made progress and was grateful for the support from the crowd.

“We want to thank the crowd for coming out. I know the crowd wanted to see a win,” he said. “I wish we could have given them a win but don’t give up on us yet. We still have a lot to do and we’re going to make you guys even prouder one day.”

Paul said Bicknell’s biggest problem came in the second set, when he began rushing points after fighting his way back into the match.

Bicknell rallied from 1-5 down in the second set to level the score at 4-4, and again at 5-5 before Curbelo saved two game points, took a 6-5 lead, and served for the set, winning 7-5.

“The points, the shots were there. Just be comfortable, be confident in your ability to perform,” Paul said. “He do[es] these things all the time in practice so today [Tuesday] was just one of those days we were trying to please the crowd and not focusing on the game.”

Paul also pointed to a recurring pattern in Bicknell’s performances. Over the past six months Bicknell has often won the first set before dropping the second and then responding strongly in the third.

“That’s a pattern that we are trying to work on, to keep him on a high, especially coming off of the first set,” Paul said.

Despite the latest disappointment Paul remains encouraged by Bicknell’s development. He described Bicknell’s performance the previous week, despite losing to a player ranked 14th in the world, as possibly the best tennis he has seen from him during their time together.

“Last week was probably — and I’ve been with him since he was 10 — probably the best I’ve seen him play,” Paul said.

He highlighted Bicknell’s return game and backhand as areas that have improved, while noting that his serve and forehand remain major weapons.

The focus now shifts to the next stage of the season, with Bicknell expected to continue competing on the road in California and San Diego over the next two weeks. Paul said the team’s message remains simple: Continue building, remain patient, and keep working.

“We’re just building on it. Just be patient. Don’t give up yet,” he said.