Barbados Road Tennis Open Third Edition: Quarter-Finals Preview at Dover Court in Christ Church

The simmering heat of the third edition of the Barbados Road Tennis Open will rise significantly on Saturday evening when the quarter-finals are staged at the Dover court in Christ Church.

Sixteen of the island’s best players of Barbados’ indigenous sport are slated to battle from 6:30 p.m. with defending champions Mark “Venom” Griffith and Sheldene Walrond looking for their third successive semi-finals spots. However, the only sure winner is Curtis Jones.

Jones is fixtured to meet the versatile Emar Edwards who was touted as the most serious challenge to Griffith’s three peat. But Edwards is presently pursuing international glory at the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. Thus, Jones will easily advance to the semi-finals to await the winner of the clash between Davien “Force Ripe” Taylor and Dario Hinds.

Jones created an unexpected smooth path to the final from that side of the draw when he ousted the two time losing finalist Shakeem Nurse. The cocky Taylor and the flamboyant Hinds will want to cruise that path towards the enticing $20 000. Neither has shown best form thus far and their battle could go either way. (KB)