LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Karen Anderson is all smiles after winning the women's singles title at the Senior Caribbean Squash Championships on Monday night at the Liguanea Club. She defeated Karen Meakins of Barbados 2/9, 9/3, 9/6, 5/9, 9/4. - Photo by LeVaughn Flynn

Those who know Karen Anderson well and watched her gold medal-winning match against Barbadian Karen Meakins in the Senior Caribbean Squash Championships on Monday night must have wondered if they were seeing correctly.

In a subdued move, the daring attacking player heeded the advice of friends and changed her approach and tactics to win 3-2.

"Ask anybody in here tonight," she said of the spectators packed in the tiny, sitting area of the Liguanea Club, "I'm a natural-born attacker. But tonight I was more patient.

"I'm known for having the lead and then giving it away, but tonight I refused to lose and told myself I would make her (Meakins) make the mistakes.

"It feels good to play like that and win, but I will probably go back to my old ways."

More pressure at home

The 36-year-old Anderson, who has represented Jamaica at the Commonwealth Games and the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in 2002 and 2006, surprisingly felt more pressure playing at home. She said she was nervous playing through the first two rounds but got the boost she needed in the semi-final when she swept Rhea Khan 3-0.

There was also the moral support from her father, pollster Don Anderson, and members of the national junior team, who she coaches.

"They were thrilled," Anderson said of the junior team.

"Josh Mahfood greeted me right at the door after I won and Jake Mahfood told me I was going to win before the game."

She also pointed out that her father advised her "the minute I cut out the mistakes, I can compete with these girls".

Bounced back

Second seed Anderson, who won bronze in the two previous championships, lost the first set against top seed Meakins 2-9 but bounced back to take the next two 9-3, 9-6.

She missed a chance to wrap it up in the fourth and lost 5-9, before winning the final set 9-4.

She entered the final with a losing record of 1-4 against Meakins and said she had to overcome that mentally before facing her. That, however, wasn't difficult as Anderson said this is the most relaxed she has been in a championship.

"I knew this would be my final Caribbean Championships in the individual event so I was just having fun out there and not putting any pressure on myself, and it worked," she said.

MEN'S SINGLES

The men's singles competition was won by Barbadian sixth seed, Gavin Cumberbatch. He swept seventh seed Colin Ramasra 9-4, 9-7, 9-0.

"It was tough competing against Colin," said Cumberbatch, who defeated Jamaica's Chris Binnie in the semi-final.

"We've been playing together since we were nine years old and there was a lot of nostalgia there."

Binnie went on to win the consolation final 5-9, 10-8, 9-0, 9-6 against Shawn Simpson.

This is Cumberbatch's second time competing in Jamaica as he was last here in 2002 when he won the Caribbean Under-19 title.

"I love the atmosphere here, the people and the camaraderie," he said.

The competition continues until Sunday with the team events remaining in three categories - women, men and veterans: Over 40, Over 50 and Over 60.