Bermuda’s junior Davis Cup stars have concluded a testing campaign in Guatemala City, securing 14th place overall following a narrow 2–1 defeat to St Kitts and Nevis in their final Under-16 classification play-off. Despite a week of high-intensity competition on the hard courts, the young Bermuda team were denied a winning finish in a tie that was ultimately decided by a dramatic third-set tie-breaker.
The afternoon began brightly for the Bermudian side as Jaden Jones continued his impressive individual form. Jones dominated the opening singles rubber against Brandon Brisbane, utilizing a powerful baseline game to secure a comprehensive straight-sets victory. With the 6–2, 6–1 win, Jones handed Bermuda an early advantage and appeared to have set the platform for a successful final day.
However, the momentum shifted during the second singles match as Michael Collins faced off against Omar Mongerie. In a tightly contested affair defined by slim margins, Mongerie proved the more clinical of the two in the decisive moments of both sets. A pair of 6–4 results for the St Kitts and Nevis representative leveled the tie at one apiece, ensuring the final standings would be determined by the doubles rubber.
With the pressure mounting, the Bermudian pairing of Collins and Hasan Khan took to the court against Gabriel Duggins and Mongerie. The opening set was a one-sided affair as the St Kitts duo found their rhythm early to claim it 6–1. Refusing to go down without a fight, Collins and Khan mounted a spirited comeback in the second set, breaking serve at a crucial juncture to win 6–4 and force a winner-takes-all third set tie-breaker.
In the high-stakes final set, Duggins and Mongerie managed to find the critical points required to pull away. The St Kitts and Nevis pair eventually clinched the match and the tie with a 10–6 victory in the tie-breaker. While the result was a bitter pill to swallow for the Bermudian squad, their 14th-place finish marks the end of a developmental journey that has provided invaluable international experience against the region's elite prospects.
|