Is it the dawn of the Tyler Smith era?

A changing of the guard took place on centre court at WER Joell Tennis Stadium last weekend.

And rising women’s tennis star Tyler Smith cherished each and every moment of it.

The 14-year-old home school student toppled defending champion Tara Lambert in straight sets (6-0, 6-3) to claim the WER Joell Memorial Tournament women’s open singles title in convincing fashion.

Last year Smith finished runner-up to her more seasoned rival in the same tournament. But this time around she would not be denied her moment of glory.

The talented teenager said it took a bit of time for reality to sink in after recording a major upset in the final — her first win against the likes of Lambert.

 “At first I was shocked and then excited. It was just unbelievable, I was so ecstatic.”

Though widely considered as the underdog, Smith said she entered the final against Lambert with plenty of faith in her ability.

“I was pretty confident, that’s how you are supposed to be going into a big match like this. I wasn’t intimidated.”

Smith managed to keep her wits about her while Lambert struggled to find her rhythm.

“She’s pretty good, but I think she had a bit of an off day,” the youngster added.

Smith is already looking forward to renewing rivalries with Lambert in future competitions, insisting that she will be “ready for the challenge”.

The soft-spoken athlete is currently the top ranked player at the girls’ Under 14 level in the Caribbean.

She has won team titles representing Bermuda as well as numerous junior singles titles both locally and abroad to underline her enormous potential.

In the past Smith has been invited by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to attend training camps in the Caribbean and South America and academies in Florida such as the Adams/Flynn Tennis Academy.