Top seed Gilian advances in Chaconia Classic

TOP SEED Alice Gilian of Great Britain moved on to the singles quarter-final stage of the ITF World Tennis Tour Chaconia Classic Women’s 15s tournament yesterday.

At the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua, Gilian needed three sets to get the better of United States’ Sabastiani Leon 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2.

Four other seeded players comfortably progressed to the quarter-final round.

Third seed Lexie Stevens of the Netherlands ousted Paulina Jastrzebska of Poland 6-1, 6-0; number four ranked Akilah James defeated fellow American Stephanie Kent 6-4, 6-1; sixth seed Nadia Echeverria Alam of Venezuela turned back Dylan Cline of the US 6-3, 6-1 and eighth seed Pauline Wuarin of Switzerland whipped Keira Blackbeard of Canada 6-2, 6-1.

Amy Kaplan of the US moved on the quarter-final stage with an easy 6-1, 6-1 victory over Netherlands’ Iris Verweij.

Breana Stampfli and Anneliese Rose were engaged in an all-TT second round battle up to press time last evening.

On Wednesday, Stampfli eliminated fifth-seed Maria Tanasescu of Canada 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-1 while Rose rallied from a set down to defeat American Micheline Aubuchon 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

A pair of doubles matches were contested on Wednesday evening.

The third-seeded tandem of Wuarin and US’ Stephanie Kent brushed aside the combination of Osenyonye Nwokolo of TT and Vivian Mayumi Toma of Brazil 6-0, 6-1.

And the fourth-seeded pair of Stevens and Estonia’s Maileen Nuudi strolled past the duo of James and TT’s Carlista Mohammed 6-2, 6-0.

Matches will continue today (FRIDAY) from 2 pm.