January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Are these among the best players in the world?
Are these among the best players in the world?
The island's star-studded six-member team departs for the Caribbean today where they will mix it up with the region's elite.
Representing Bermuda in only its second appearance in this particular tournament are Clementine Keyes, Avra Frazzoni, Chris Rego, Evan Hughes, Adam Turner and Tyler Smith, who is the top ranked player in the Caribbean in her respective age group.
David Lambert, president of Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association, has high expectations for the island's young representatives.
He said: "Five or six years ago we were just pleased to be able to participate - but now we expect to win. We have a good chance of doing well and we hope everyone has a good tournament."
The BLTA have invested heavily in Bermuda's tennis future and are now beginning to harvest the fruits of their labour. Last year saw local youth tennis reach dizzying heights with the island winning the Under 13 Caribbean Championship in Trinidad.
Lambert said: "We now feel that we are seeing the results of all those years of investing time, money and energy into our programmes. To have our under 13s win last year and Tyler Smith be number one in the Caribbean in her age group; and Chris Rego also being acknowledged and partly sponsored by the ITF, makes us feel proud of the result of our development programme."
Smith, Rego and Keyes were all members of Bermuda's victorious Under 13 Caribbean Championship winning team.
Bermuda's Under 14 World Junior Tennis squad commenced preparations last December with only the top four tennis players in their respective age group being eligible for team selection.
"Training started December 23 last year when all of the players were invited to play on various squads based on rankings," Lambert said. "This encourages all of our juniors to participate in the BLTA ranking events and in order to be in the squad you have to be among the top four in your age group.
"The only way you can get on that squad is if you have ranking points and in order to get ranking points you have to play so it's a continuance and this is one of the reasons we see our junior tournaments growing in size and in importance.
"Anyone can say my son or daughter is the best. However, unless they compete - and we go by statistics and results - that's the only way to measure and establish a squad and from your squad your team is selected."
Earlier this year Smith was among a handful of junior tennis players from the region handpicked by the International Tennis Federation to broaden their horizons in South America.
As the top player in the region in her age group, much will be riding on Smith's slender shoulders in Trinidad next week where she and her team mates are expected to be in contention for top honours.
Managing the island's team in Trinidad will be Steven Bean and Jerome Bradshaw. n[[In-content Ad]]
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