Lee Terceira has etched her name into the history books of Bermudian tennis after a remarkable victory at a Level 5 Open USTA Tournament in Miami. In doing so, she has become the first female junior player from the island to both compete in and win a Level 5 event in the Under 12 Division.
The achievement is all the more extraordinary given that Terceira was not originally accepted into the tournament draw due to her ranking. It was only following a series of late withdrawals that a spot became available, and the young Bermudian received confirmation of her entry only the night before the first round began.
She began her campaign with a clinical performance in the Round of 16, dispatching Bhuvika Syamagari from Illinois in straight sets. However, the true test of Terceira's resolve arrived in the quarter-finals against the second seed, Sophie Murphy Alvarez. After dropping a one-sided first set, Terceira showed immense character to level the match by taking the second set 6-3. Her comeback was fueled by high-profile support from the sidelines, as Bermuda’s Davis Cup captain Ricky Mallory and player Trey Mallory arrived at the court to cheer her on. The encouragement proved decisive, as Terceira held her nerve to win the final tie-breaker 10-6.
The semi-final followed a similarly dramatic script. Facing Andrea Rivas, Terceira once again found herself in a marathon battle that required a third-set decider. After losing a tight first-set tie-breaker, she roared back to take the second set and ultimately secured her place in the final with a 10-5 win in the tie-breaker.
In the championship match, Terceira demonstrated she has the temperament for the big occasion. Taking on the number three seed, Lidiia Filippova, the Bermudian produced a disciplined and powerful display to claim the title with a straight-sets victory. The win marks a significant milestone for the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association’s junior development programme and establishes Terceira as one of the region’s most formidable young talents.
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