CARIFTA Aquatics Championships launched in The Bahamas

  • Simba French
  • 4 hrs ago
  •  0
Sports-Swimming.jpeg
Shown are members of the Local Organizing Committee of the 30th CARIFTA Swimming Championships, along with government officials and Bahamas Aquatics Federation officials. The meet was officially launched at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s Building on Wednesday. The event is scheduled for March 28 to April 7, 2024, at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex.

The much anticipated 30th CARIFTA Swimming Championships is now 99 days away, officially launched at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s Building yesterday. The event is set for March 28 to April 7, 2024, at what will be a renovated Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex.

President of the Bahamas Aquatics Federation Algernon Cargill spoke about the opportunity for the athletes to be performing at home. This is the first time The Bahamas hosted the meet since 2017.

Cargill serves as the vice chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC). He said the LOC has a goal to raise $1 million to put on the event.

“Winning our sixth title at home will not be easy and we will certainly need the support of all Bahamians, particularly corporate Bahamas, to support the marketing efforts of the Local Organizing Committee. Our goal is to raise $1 million and while this has never been done before by the federation, we believe that it is indeed possible. We ask corporate Bahamas and every Bahamian citizen to support Team Bahamas by contributing any amount to this fundraising goal,” Cargill said.

The Bahamas will take part in all three disciplines of the meet – swimming, open water swimming and water polo.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg spoke to the importance of the event, stating that it brings the top junior aquatic athletes in the region together to compete.

“This is a momentous occasion. It is a testament to our commitment to youth excellence, sportsmanship and the undeniable passion we have for sports. We are honored to open our doors to welcome the talented individuals to our shores. As we prepare to host this exhilarating competition, we do so with the intention of defending our title with pride, determination, and the undeniable spirit that characterizes The Bahamas. Our swimmers have showcased their prowess in the pool, and we are confident that, with the support of our community, we will continue to make a splash on the regional stage,” Bowleg said.

It is no secret that the national swim complex is currently under renovation. Bowleg assured that the venue will be ready for the championships and thanked their partners for their commitment.

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our partners who have played an integral role in making this event possible. The renovations at our stadium, which will serve as the epicenter of this meet, would not have been possible without their support. Their commitment to the success of this event mirrors our own dedication, and we are immensely grateful for their collaboration,” said the minister.

Swimming in his final CARIFTA Games is Grand Bahama native Marvin Johnson who swims in the boys 15-17 age group. It will be his first time swimming at CARIFTA at home. He encourages Bahamians to come out and support the team, stating that they will put on a show, going for a sixth straight title.

“For my last CARIFTA to be at home in The Bahamas, it means a lot to me, not only to represent The Bahamas but also to swim in front of family and friends who have never seen me do it before. I know swimming is not a popular sport and we do not get as much recognition that we deserve but being on the team for the past five consecutive championships, I can say that we are full of heart and we love to represent The Bahamas,” he said.

Elle TheBerge, who swims in the girls 15-17 age group, is looking to make the team for a third time.

“Being able to participate with my teammates and compete as a family means a lot. I am glad that we are having it here next year. It will be good to participate at home and swim in front of my family and friends,” TheBerge said.

The meet features the 11-12, 13-14 and 15-17 age groups. This edition has a twist to it, featuring an 18-and-over category for the 50-, 100- and 200-meter races in all of the strokes. Those who compete in that age bracket will be competing for medals and not points. It was introduced because the CARIFTA Championships will be a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and the World Swimming Championships.

The swimming discipline of the meet gets underway on Saturday March 30 and wraps up on Tuesday April 2. The open water swimming competition will be held on Wednesday April 3 at Goodman’s Bay. Water polo will close out the championships, from Thursday April 4 to Saturday April 6. There are 24 countries that have been invited to participate.

Silent Partner: a story of inspiration in sailing

sailing
Shown is the crew of Silent Partner, after sailing the sloop to the overall top prize in the ‘A’ Class of the Best of the Best Regatta at Montagu Bay.

This year was a momentous one for The Bahamas and for the sport of sailing.

In July, the country celebrated 50 years of independence, and in April, sailing was declared the country’s national sport. There are 18 senior regattas and 17 junior sailing events each year. Of the senior regattas, there is no more significant event than the Best of the Best Regatta, which brings sloop sailors from across The Bahamas together to compete in the national sport.

No regatta would be complete without the story of the underdog, and the Best of the Best for 2023 was no exception. This regatta was a spectacle of skill, strategy, and sheer adrenaline, with tough competition between Exuma and Long Island.

On the first day of sailing, the Silent Partner from Black Point, Exuma, captained by Leslie ‘Buzzy’ Rolle, was fourth. On every successive day, there was a rise in the order, leading the crew sailing Silent Partner to a surprising win in the ‘A’ Class category.

The story of this crew, however, did not make them the favorite to win.

In March 2023, a group of skilled sailors in Black Point pooled their resources to purchase a sloop called ‘Red Stripe’ from renowned skipper Lundy Richardson. Over the next few weeks, they worked on rebuilding the boat and bringing it up to the competition level.

The crew did not start sailing together on Silent Partner until April 2023 in the Georgetown Regatta, when they were still learning the boat. The next time they raced was not until August 2023 in the Black Point Regatta.

Between August and December, several crew members sailed other boats but were determined to sail the Silent Partner together. They practiced as a crew and put in countless hours of hard work because they were dedicated to the mission of not just bringing Silent Partner to compete in regattas but taking home titles.

In December, just eight months after their first competition as a crew and just four months after their second regatta, this group of passionate individuals emerged as unexpected victors, sailing their way to glory in the country’s biggest regatta.

In Black Point, the Silent Partner finished in second place. Since then, the crew has been determined to put Silent Partner on top of the podium and bring the ‘A’ Class trophy to Black Point. The passion, talent and dedication of these men is said to be truly amazing.

The Silent Partner crew represents something that is needed in society – hard work and dedication. These men are an inspiration, and the people of Black Point should be proud of this crew. They defied the odds, embraced challenges, and ultimately emerged triumphant in a sport where skill, speed, and sportsmanship separate the elite sailors from the rest of the pack.

The remarkable journey of this crew can be traced back to a love of Bahamian culture and sloop sailing – a shared love of many Bahamians – and the resilient spirit of the Bahamian people. With sailing now being the national sport, one can only hope that their story inspires junior and senior sailors alike to collaborate and work as a team to achieve their dreams and write their names in the history book of this esteemed sport.

‘Donnie’ gets Lifetime Achievement Award

A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Donnie Martinborough was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Sunfish Class Association during the 2023 ISCA World Championships in Miami, Florida, last week.

A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Donnie Martinborough was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Sunfish Class Association during the 2023 ISCA World Championships in Miami, Florida, last week.

As of Tuesday, December 19, 2023

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#Donald “Donnie’’ Martinborough, who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Bahamas Realty, became the first Bahamian to be presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd International Sunfish Class Association (ISCA) World Championship in Miami, Florida.

#Martinborough has not only experienced success in his professional endeavours but also in the national sport, winning three world championships in the Sunfish Class over the years. Although he was not as successful at last weekend’s World Championships, the avid sailor has gained full membership privileges due to his noteworthy contributions as recognised by the Sunfish World Council.

#“The Lifetime Achievement Award was for all my accomplishments in the Sunfish Class, which came as a huge surprise and was very humbling. This is an award voted on and presented by the Sunfish World Council mainly for my success in winning three world championships. Being the first Bahamian to achieve such an honour is truly exciting,” Martinborough said.

#The 12-time national champion earned the first of his trio of titles at the 14th Sunfish Worlds in San Andrés, Colombia, in 1983.

#The feat accomplished four decades ago made him just the second Bahamian since Pierre Siegenthaler at the time to attain this achievement at the sailing event.

#Two years later at the 16th Sunfish Worlds hosted in Riccione, Italy, Martinborough earned his second title. The final title, which might be the sweetest of them all, was secured on home soil at the 19th Sunfish Worlds in 1988. During this stretch, he also claimed 10 consecutive Bermuda International Invitational Race Week championships. The triple champion was not only the first Bahamian to receive the Lifetime Achievement honours but the last one to win gold at the Sunfish World Championships.

#Despite being introduced to sailing at the tender age of 15, Martinborough still feels the same excitement felt when he first stepped onto a boat with top Olympic sailor Percival “Percy” Knowles.

#“Sailing has been such a challenging and exciting sport for me from the first time I stepped into my first boat at the age of 15 with Mr Percy Knowles, who took the time to teach, mentor and mould me into the sailor that I am today. My appetite for winning at the highest level in the world is what drives me. It is a feeling I can never express in words but it is great knowing on any given day that I can be the world champion.

#“This is all the motivation that I need to keep me going, even at my age, in the sport that I have grown to love so very much,” he said.

#As for his recent stint at the 52nd ISCA World Championship hosted by the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Martinborough was the top Bahamian finisher at the event. He concluded ranked 53rd out of 100 sailors. After competing in 12 events, the skipper finished with a cumulative total of 469.0. Unfortunately for the former world champion, he was disqualified from two races which affected his outcome.

#“The racing in Coconut Grove, Miami was tough. There were 100 plus boats and it was extremely windy. I learned a lot but did get thrown out of two races which really hurt me in the overall standings. But I hung in there and being the first Bahamian and a part of such a talented team of Bahamian sailors, namely Gavin Mckinney, Jimmy Lowe, Lori Lowe, George Damianos and Peter Vlasov, all whom gave their best and represented The Bahamas well, is really special,” he said.

#Lori Lowe, who became the first Bahamian woman to collect the Bahamas Sunfish Open National Championship, turned in the best performance for The Bahamas in the ladies’ category. She finished ranked 72nd overall at last weekend’s Sunfish Worlds.

#The event wrapped up on December 10 with Peru’s Jean Paul de Trazegnies taking home his second consecutive Sunfish World Championship.

NPVA Recap: Panthers on a roll to close out the year

As of Wednesday, December 20, 2023

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Caribbean Gas Panthers closed out the year with an unblemished record in the New Providence Volleyball Association (NPVA) standings after defeating the Set-sy Poppers at the DW Davis Gymnasium last week Friday.

#The Panthers added yet another victory to their win column to improve to an 8-0 win/loss record in the first half of the 2023-24 season. Meanwhile, the Poppers will move into the new year sporting an 0-7 record to remain winless in the night league.

#The defending champions brought down the Poppers in four sets on Friday night. The Poppers showed some signs of life when they claimed the victory in set one 25-22.

#However, the Panthers rebounded nicely in the second set, dominating their opponents 25-14. In the following set, the end result remained unchanged for the former title holders with them reeling off a 25-12 win in set three.

#The final set (25-15) was no different as the Panthers nabbed three consecutives sets to seal their final win of 2023. On the season, the team has only dropped five sets in eight matches played.

#The Panthers totalled 97 points compared to 66 points earned by the Poppers.

#In game one of Friday’s double header, the Lady Spikers defeated the Lady Techs in comfortable fashion, taking three sets in a row. The former went basically uncontested as they dropped the Lady Techs 25-13, 25-20 and 25-13.The Lady Spikers ended the one hour and seven minute contest with 75 cumulative points compared to 46 turned in by the Lady Techs.

#The victors head into the new year with a 7-2 record. Their only losses were handed out by the Panthers this year. Meanwhile, the Lady Techs fell to 1-7 in the NPVA standings.

#The Panthers won the championship hardware for the women in 2019 and 2022.

#For the men’s division, the Tour Daddy Defenders, the NPVA defending champions, have a league’s best 6-2 record. The Warhawks are one game behind with 5-2. The Technicians hold the next spot at 3-5 and the National Fence Intruders are 2-7 in nine games played.

#The NPVA Night League games will resume in the new year following a hot start to the season.

NPVA Recap: Panthers on a roll to close out the year

As of Wednesday, December 20, 2023

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Caribbean Gas Panthers closed out the year with an unblemished record in the New Providence Volleyball Association (NPVA) standings after defeating the Set-sy Poppers at the DW Davis Gymnasium last week Friday.

#The Panthers added yet another victory to their win column to improve to an 8-0 win/loss record in the first half of the 2023-24 season. Meanwhile, the Poppers will move into the new year sporting an 0-7 record to remain winless in the night league.

#The defending champions brought down the Poppers in four sets on Friday night. The Poppers showed some signs of life when they claimed the victory in set one 25-22.

#However, the Panthers rebounded nicely in the second set, dominating their opponents 25-14. In the following set, the end result remained unchanged for the former title holders with them reeling off a 25-12 win in set three.

#The final set (25-15) was no different as the Panthers nabbed three consecutives sets to seal their final win of 2023. On the season, the team has only dropped five sets in eight matches played.

#The Panthers totalled 97 points compared to 66 points earned by the Poppers.

#In game one of Friday’s double header, the Lady Spikers defeated the Lady Techs in comfortable fashion, taking three sets in a row. The former went basically uncontested as they dropped the Lady Techs 25-13, 25-20 and 25-13.The Lady Spikers ended the one hour and seven minute contest with 75 cumulative points compared to 46 turned in by the Lady Techs.

#The victors head into the new year with a 7-2 record. Their only losses were handed out by the Panthers this year. Meanwhile, the Lady Techs fell to 1-7 in the NPVA standings.

#The Panthers won the championship hardware for the women in 2019 and 2022.

#For the men’s division, the Tour Daddy Defenders, the NPVA defending champions, have a league’s best 6-2 record. The Warhawks are one game behind with 5-2. The Technicians hold the next spot at 3-5 and the National Fence Intruders are 2-7 in nine games played.

#The NPVA Night League games will resume in the new year following a hot start to the season.

BAAA Odd Distance Meet all set for Friday

As of Wednesday, December 20, 2023

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) will get an early start to the track and field season beginning with the Odd Distance Meet scheduled for Friday at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

#The one-day event will attract over 300 athletes from the various track clubs, including some collegiate athletes returning home for the Christmas break.

#The unorthodox meet will serve as a measuring stick for coaches to determine the fitness of their respective athletes, according to meet director Demarius Cash.

#“I think it will be a good meet because it is gonna show where athletes are in the season in terms of their fitness because they are running in non-conventional events like the 60 metres, 150 metres and 300m.

#“It is almost like a timed trial but they have competition against other clubs,” Cash said.

#The non-traditional meet was initially scheduled for last Saturday but will now begin on Friday at 1pm.

#Athletes will compete from the under-7 to open division.

#Track events include the 60m and 150m sprints for all divisions, the 300m (under-15,17, 20 and open) and the 600m in all divisions excluding the under-7, under-9, and under-11 boys and girls.

#The 1000m event features all divisions except the under-7, under-9, under-11, and under-13 boys and girls.

#The 60m hurdles will see competitors from the under-17 boys and girls divisions and higher and so will the 300m hurdles.

#The field events at the meet are the long, triple, and high jump along with the shot put and discus events.

#Cash believes those in attendance can expect some field athletes to qualify for the 2024 CARIFTA Games in Grenada. “In the field events we should get some qualifiers for CARIFTA. Athletes qualifying early for CARIFTA would be great because it will give them more time to stay in their camp and train if they get it out the way,” the meet director said.

#The event is slated to run until 6pm at the previously mentioned venue.

#Individuals interested in attending can purchase tickets at a cost of $10 for adults, $12 for the VIP section and $5 for school students.

Top players clash in semifinals today

ON TO THE NEXT: Tennis players advanced to the semifinals at the Giorgio Baldacci Open National Tennis Championships at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) yesterday.

ON TO THE NEXT: Tennis players advanced to the semifinals at the Giorgio Baldacci Open National Tennis Championships at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) yesterday.

As of Wednesday, December 20, 2023

#By TENAJH SWEETING

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

#Athletes turned in top performances to make a smooth transition into today’s semifinals at the Giorgio Baldacci Open Tennis National Championships. In yesterday’s quarterfinals round, the top seeds validated their rank by dropping their opponents.

#The semifinals are all set for the women’s singles matches with Sydney Clarke scheduled to face Takaii Adderley and Simone Pratt versus the defending champion Elana Mackey.

#The men’s singles matchups will feature reigning national champion Denali Nottage against Rodney Carey Jr and Michael Major Jr on the court opposite Baker Newman today.

#Yesterday’s opening matchups saw the top seeded players coast to the semifinals round starting with the women’s singles quarterfinals.

#Clarke, first ranked in the women’s singles, remained in top form yesterday at the National Tennis Centre (NTC).

#She dominated Breann Fergsuon in consecutive sets, earning identical scores of 6-0 in the overall match. After a relatively comfortable victory, Clarke has high hopes ahead of today’s semifinals against Adderley.

#“I have high hopes. I am hoping to get the win and to be able to reclaim the title as national champion but I am taking it one match at a time. It will be my first time playing Takaii so I am really excited to see the game plan that I come up with and how I execute it tomorrow,” she said.

#The 22-year-old described her match against Ferguson as an almost perfect game on her end.

#“My match today went well. It was almost perfection, I had some moments where I was in and out and made a few errors but my opponent played well, she never eased up and kept pushing me. For me it is always more mental than physical so I am just hoping to carry over the same energy from today into tomorrow so that I can hopefully be in the finals as well,” she said.

#Her upcoming opponent shut down Afrika Smith in straight sets 6-1, 6-2. Adderley, who emerged as a double crown victor at the AID Junior National Tennis Championships, is locked in ahead of today’s tough match.

#“Sydney is a great player so I know it is going to be a tough match. I just want to go in and play my A-game,” she said.

#Although she was not entirely impressed with her efforts against Smith, the former Gainesville Sun girls’ tennis player of the year was happy to close out her opponent to advance to the next round.

#Nottage remains poised on his quest to the Giorgio Baldacci finals once again. The defending champion will have his work cut out against the third ranked Carey Jr.

#The latter bested Cailan Bowe 6-0, 6-0 in straight sets to emerge one step closer to the final stage. Nottage accomplished a similar victory, defeating Alec Hooper 6-0, 6-0.

#“Today was a day that I am proud of because of how the draw was set up. I had to stay mentally focused, some might say the match was boring but I worked on staying consistent and taking it point by point.”

#With Carey Jr hoping to avenge his loss against Nottage in last year’s semifinals round of the Giorgio Baldacci Tennis Nationals, the latter will have to bring his A-game from the start.

#“I am going to try my best to jump on him early. He has a lot of experience. I know it is not going to be a walk in the park. I am just ready to come out and battle tomorrow,” he said.

#Mackey, the second seed and last year’s national champion, will go head to head against the third seeded Pratt. She knocked off Clarke’s younger sister, Sarai Clarke, 6-1, 6-1 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Pratt packed her bags for the semifinals after a 6-1, 6-2 effort against Freeport native Jalisa Clarke.

#“I am pretty happy and excited for my match tomorrow and I am looking forward to being in the finals as well. I am just going to go for my shots, play confident, not get frustrated if my opponent wins one or two games or makes a few shots. I just have to stick with my gameplan,” the women’s defending champion said.

#Major Jr, who recently showcased his skills at the Baha Mar Cup, downed top junior Carroll 7-6(5), 6-1. The Howard University student will now prepare for Baker Newman, who advanced following a gruelling three-set thriller against Donte Armbrister which ended 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-3.

#After narrowly edging out Carroll in the opening set, Major Jr said he found a rhythm which gave him an advantage the rest of the way.

#“It was a good match. I knew he was going to be a good opponent, he beat me in three sets the last time. At the beginning I started off a bit shaky. I didn’t really have a feel of the ball but as the match progressed I felt like I was getting in my rhythm. I knew after I won the first set I had a rhythm and it would be easier in the second set,” he said.

#He added that playing at his own pace and remaining calm helped him to succeed in the matchup.

#Major Jr, who is in his second appearance at the tennis nationals, is ready to battle in his first semifinals at the event.

#“It is a good feeling. I played in the tournament twice, I am 17 now and played in it when I was 15/16 which was not the best but I feel like now I am ready. My mindset for tomorrow is just to go out there and play the tennis I know how to play and never underestimate my opponent,” he said.

#Matchups begin 9:30am at the NTC.

Bowleg likes what he saw from Hoopfest

  • Simba French
  • 14 hrs ago
  •  0
Sports-Mario Bowleg.tiff

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg sat courtside at the 2nd Annual Hoopfest in Paradise high school basketball showcase and was impressed with the level of competition and exposure that the Bahamian high school players got while playing in it.

There were eight boys teams and four girls teams that played two games each this past Friday and Saturday at Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasiu

Bowleg said that the event showed the local players the level that they need to play at in order to get to the next level.

“This Hoopfest in Paradise tournament brings an exposure to the high school basketball players, especially the senior boys. They’re able to now measure themselves with the best of the best in the United States,” said Bowleg. “As you can see, with the competition being [played] here, we now – even though we have the private schools all-stars now playing the public schools all-stars – know what they have to do to get to the next level in order to get to college; and that’s what we want to continue doing – encourage events such as this to be able to put our senior boys and even the juniors in a position to measure themselves up to the standard they need to get to in order to obtain a scholarship,” he added.

The minister said that his government is looking for ways to bring more sporting events to The Bahamas.

“Speaking with the organizers, we’re going to have a meeting to see how we could expand this. I was told that there are about 10 boys and girls teams that are interested in coming next year, and so we want to make this an interesting one. The idea is to have a conversation with the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation so that we can collaborate with the organizers and see how we can grow this event and grow this brand that also includes senior girls basketball, so we can also give our young ladies an opportunity to be exposed and see which level they need to get to in order to obtain scholarships,” said Bowleg.

One of the tournament stars was Valdez ‘VJ’ Edgecombe who hails from Bimini, The Bahamas. The 18-year-old came home with his Long Island Lutheran team and performed at a high level, averaging 27.5 points in the two games he played. One of the things that stood out for Bowleg about Edgecombe was his basketball IQ, he said. With the attention that Bahamas Basketball has gotten, Bowleg said he could see Edgecombe playing on the senior men’s national team in short order.

“Looking at his IQ (Intelligence Quotient), I said to one or two persons sitting next to me that, ‘I’ve coached senior men’s basketball, his IQ is higher than many’. I think with his IQ and the talents of the Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield, DeAndre Ayton and Eric Gordon and those who we intend to add, I wouldn’t call the names now, but there will be some surprises, and I think he definitely can find himself a spot on the team,” Bowleg stated.

Edgecombe is ranked at number five on ESPN’s Top 100 list of high school players. He scored 30 points in an 81-68 win against Mater Dei High School on Friday night, and then he came back and scored 25 points in an 83-50 blowout victory for Long Island Lutheran over Riviera Prep on Saturday.

The Bahamas’ senior men’s national basketball team has qualified for the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) World Olympic Qualifiers, set for July 2-7, 2024, and if successful there, The Bahamas will qualify for the basketball competition at the 2024 Olympics, which will be held from July 27 to August 11, 2024, in Paris, France.

The Bahamas would have to win its six-team group at the FIBA World Olympic Qualifiers to move on to the Olympics. They were drawn into a sub-group with Finland and Poland, and just the top two finishers in that group will move on to the semifinals. The semifinals and final are set for the Pavelló Municipal Font de Sant Lluís in Valencia, Spain, July 6 and 7.

If successful, it would be the first time that The Bahamas has qualified for the Olympics in a team sport competition.

Baldacci tennis nationals heats up

  • Simba French
  • 14 hrs ago
  •  0

1 of 2

Takaii Adderley took care of Afrika Smith in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Giorgio Baldacci Open Tennis National Championships, at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre on Tuesday. Adderley won 6-1 and 6-2 and will play Sydney Clarke in her semifinal match today. AP

Sydney Clarke goes after a volley shot during the quarterfinals of the 2023 Giorgio Baldacci Open Tennis National Championships on Tuesday. Clarke defeated BreAnn Ferguson in straight sets, 6-0 and 6-0, and will play Takaii Adderley in her semifinal match today. TORRELL GLINTON

The 2023 Giorgio Baldacci Open Tennis National Championships, hosted by the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA), heats up today with the semifinals after the quarterfinals wrapped up yesterday afternoon at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre.

The men’s semifinals get underway at 9 a.m. today on courts number two and six. The women’s semifinals will get underway afterwards on the same courts, but not before 11:30 a.m.

Nottage easily took care of Alec Hooper, 6-0 and 6-1, in his quarterfinal match to get closer to defending his title.

“I am excited to move a step closer to defending my title,” Nottage said. “It has been on the back of my mind all year and now the time is here. I had my sights on this tournament on the calendar so I could come home and defend my title.”

Nottage will go up against Rodney Carey in his semifinal match today. Carey booked a spot in the semifinals with a swift 6-0 and 6-0 victory over Cailan Bowe on court number four yesterday.

The defending champion is looking to stay patient against Carey who is an experienced player.

Mackey turned back teenager Sarai Clarke in straight sets, 6-1 and 6-1, to punch her ticket to the semifinals in the women’s division.

“I had a bit of a slow start at the beginning of the first set,” Mackey said. “It took me a while to get my feet moving but as the match went on, I was able to be more consistent and place more of the balls on the court and go for my shots more.”

She is looking to play confidently and go for her shots.

Simone Pratt will play against Mackey in the semifinals after she won against Jalisa Clarke in straight sets. Pratt won that quarterfinal match, 6-1 and 6-2.

Last year’s runner-up on the women’s side Sydney Clarke won over BreAnn Ferguson in straight sets, 6-0 and 6-0 and will play in the semifinals once again.

“The match went well,” Clarke said. “I had a few errors here and there, but for the most part, I was able to keep my level of play consistent. I did not let my level drop. I had some moments when I was down but I was able to quickly get back and fix minor errors that I made.”https://426a75a064cc49fd837681ee2fdbda8e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

She will be looking to bring more energy to her semifinal match today.

Clarke will play against up-and-coming junior player Takaii Adderley who took care of Afrika Smith in the quarterfinals. Adderley was sensational in her match, coming away with a 6-1 and 6-2 victory. The 15-year-old is looking forward to her match against Clarke today.

“She is a great player,” Adderley said of Clarke. “I know that it is not going to be easy so I have to bring my ‘A’ game. I have to come up with a game plan and just stick with it and play my game.”

Michael Major Jr. made it to his first semifinal in the Baldacci nationals, taking down Jerald Carroll in two sets. Major won, 7-6 (7-5) and 6-1.

“He (Carroll) beat me in three sets the last time we played so I expected a tough match. I started a little shaky at the beginning and did not have a feel for the ball. As the match progressed, I felt as if I was getting into rhythm and I knew that after I won the first set, I knew I already had a rhythm and it was going to be easier in the second. I remained calm and not overplaying is what helped me,” Major said.

Veteran Baker Newman was on a battlefield against Donte Armbrister as that match required three sets. Newman came out on top to set up a battle against Major in the semifinals. Newman won the first set 7-6 (7-5) and Armbrister won the second set 7-5. Newman dug deep and won the third set 6-3.

The finalists of the men and women’s divisions will book spots on the national teams. The men’s team plays in the Davis Cup tournament while the women’s team plays in the Billie Jean King Cup tournament.