By Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter
Rowe overcame Baez 6-7, 7-5, 6-2. - File
JAMAICA'S TINESTA Rowe defied windy conditions and clawed her way to victory after a spirited fight with Natalia Baez of the Dominican Republic as the Cable & Wireless/ITF Jamaica Junior tennis tournament continued at the Liguanea Club yesterday.
Rowe lost the first set 6-7 but stepped up the pace of her game to win the second 7-5 and dominated the third 6-2.
There were more Jamaican winners yesterday.
Mario Downer stopped compatriot Christopher Bailey 6-3, 6-0; Phillip Bond got by Ranford Celestina of Aruba 6-3, 6-4; Carla Erskine beat Tanisha Hodgson 6-2, 6-4; Megan Moulton Levy beat Marianne Ellens of Aruba 6-0, 6-1.
Earlier in the day, Raquel Robinson got a walkover from Shanise Moore of the United States while Jean Marc Arens (Aruba), Andrew Brasseaux (US), Gregory Thiel (Aruba), Katherine Santos (US), Elie Jennifer, Daisy Aimes, Bahamian Haydn Lewis and Israelis Mickey Lasser and Dor Wertheimer all registered first-round victories.
Other Jamaicans doing well on yesterday's second day included Lisa LaCroix and Kristopher Martin although they lost their matches to Mexican Patricia Manssur 6-3, 6-0 and the Dominican Republic's Jose Ramon Hernandez 6-2, 7-5 respectively.
Vincent Williams, Michael Laing, Neil Watson, Arielle Von Strolley and Linda Pennycooke also suffered defeats.
Laing to Raynor Celestina in the boys' 14 division, Watson 6-1, 6-1 to Lance Henriques of Aruba, Von Strolley 7-6, 6-2 to Bahamian Jessica Sweeting and Pennycooke 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 to Trinidadian Laura Marin.
The tournament continues today with third-round action in the boys' 18 division and second-round play in the girls' 18 and younger divisions as well.
