Trinidad and Tobago's Kale Dalla Costa into JITIC boys U14 singles final

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO'S Kale Dalla Costa advanced to the finals of the Central American and Caribbean Tennis Confederation (COTECC) JITIC Under-14 boys singles in Guatemala on Thursday.

The TT athlete won his opening semi-final set 4-2 against Costa Rican Andres Gerdel but went down in the second set 2-4. Dalla Costa dug deep to pull off a nail-biting 14-12 win in the tie-break to secure a shot a gold.

In the quarter-finals, he cruised past Guatemala’s Jose Javier Lopez 6-2, 6-0 while TT’s Isaiah Boxill went down 0-6, 0-6 to Gerdel. Dalla Costa also beat Honduran Carlos Solis 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 16 while Boxill got past Guatemalan Jose Emilio Samayoa 6-3, 7-6(1).

Additionally, sixth seed Jordane Dookie advanced to the semi-finals of the girls division after recording a 6-3, 6-0 win over Karla Ching of Panama. Dookie also beat Libny Garcia of Guatemala 6-4, 6-1.

Meanwhile Brianna Harricharan missed out on a spot in the other girls final as she went down 1-6, 4-6 to Dominican Republic’s Analhy Guerrero. Harricharan however, progressed to the quarter-finals of the girls’ doubles with Bahamian partner Breanna Fergunson. They beat Miranda Bosch/Eliana Felix (Dominican republic) 6-4, 6-1.

Wong/Dookie also advanced via bye and will face Honduras’ Fiorella Garcia and Ana Li Banegas in their quarter-final bout while Harricharan/Fergunson go up against Costa Rican opposition.

In the boys doubles, Dalla Costa/Zachery Byng also meet Costa Rica in their next match while Boxill and Kayden Siewrattan clash with Honduras.

Additionally, TT lost 0-3 to Bermuda in the second Americas Group III game on Thursday. Ebolum Nwokolo lost the opener 6-7, 0-5 against Richard Mallory, Nkrumah Patrick was beaten 0-6, 0-6 by Tariq Simons and Patrick/Kamran Curtis Mcintosh-Ross were beaten in the doubles 6-7(6), 6-7(7).