Jamaica's Asha Jaja was blitzed by Shenida Watkins. - Junior Dowie

JAMAICA'S TOP JUNIORS were fairly successful in boys' play, but the girls found the going difficult and most were eliminated in the round of 16 as action continued in the under-18 category of the Cable and Wireless/International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior tournament at Liguanea Club yesterday.

Kevron Bennett, who is seeded third in the competition, led the Jamaican advance to the quarter-finals in the boys section with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over German Josef Zarini.

David Goldsmith, ranked 10th in the tournament and second here, scored almost a similar win by eliminating Trinidad and Tobago's Brent Williamson 7-5, 6-3. They were followed into the next round by compatriot Demar Johnson, who was forced into a third set by Aruba's Mark Von Romondt, whom he beat 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

A fourth Jamaican, Dane Vernon, made an early exit even though he had forced a first-set tiebreak. He lost to Bahamian Levaughn Munroe 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

In other under-18 matches, the tournament's number one seed, Trinidad and Tobago's Tyler Mayers, put away John Sidia 6-4, 6-3, while France's Arnaud Benidor beat Korea's Won Jun Jang 6-4, 6-4.

In girl's play, the United States had field day as all advanced with the exception of Anne Shelton who was beaten by a fellow countrywoman.

Their success contrasted sharply with the achievement of the hosts, who had two winners in the under-18 category. They were Anya Moyston, who beat fellow Jamaican Lisa LaCroix 6-3, 6-3, and Megan Levy, who also beat a Jamaican counterpart, Melissa Murray, 6-0, 6-2..

Asha Jaja, who was crushed 6-0, 6-0 by number eight seed Shenida Watkins, of the United States; and Danielle Vernon, who also failed to take a point off Canadian Karen Lonesco, were the other Jamaicans who contested action yesterday.

Shelton was dispatched 6-0, 6-1 by fellow American Nicole Pitts, the number two seed, while other United States victors were Pilar Zglodzik, who ousted Trinidadian Cindra Maragh 6-2, retired; and Whitney Morton who beat Aruba's Maria Muguriza 6-1, 6-4.

There was one other women's winner, Hadas Zabusky of Australia who emerged from a tough contest against Trinidad and Tobago's Sheenagh Cosgrove 6-4, 7-5.

Besides the under-18s, there were games in the under-12 category which was largely an all Jamaican affair.

In the girl's singles round robin one which was contested by only Jamaicans, Arielle Von Strolley beat Danielle Monteith 8-4, and Maria Phillpotts defeated Vanessa Chung 8-6.

Matches in the boy's equivalent also contained only one set and in all-Jamaican affairs, Dominic Pagan, the number one seed, beat Kiel Levy 6-0, 6-4, Dax Vernon eliminated Trevor Chung 6-0, 6-4, Sharone James advanced at the expense of a default by Jared Levy and Peter Miller blitzed Ricardo Velazquez 6-0, 6-1.







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