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By Samuel Peters
Team Antigua and Barbuda’s Davis Cup Tennis campaign concluded on Saturday with a 2-0 defeat to the US Virgin Islands in their 5th and 6th place Play-off encounter at the National Racquet Sports Centre in Trinidad. The loss came on the heels of a 2-1 defeat to Cuba on Friday, capping off a challenging tournament for the team competing in the Americas Group IV section.
In Friday’s match against Cuba, Deandre Weeks suffered another difficult outing, losing to Denilson Martinez 6-0, 6-0. However, Jody Maginley provided the lone bright spot for Antigua and Barbuda, defeating Alberto Gonzalez 6-2, 6-2 to level the tie. The decisive doubles match saw the Cuban pair of Gonzalez and Martinez overcome Maginley and Rodain Monelle 6-0, 7-5 to secure the victory for Cuba.
In Saturday’s decisive matches against the US Virgin Islands, Weeks was defeated by Ozzy Odom in straight sets 6-1, 6-3, while Rodain Monelle fell to Imani Beharry 6-2, 6-1. The doubles match was not required as the US Virgin Islands had already secured the tie with their singles victories.
The tournament had shown early promise for Antigua and Barbuda. In their second group match, the team secured a 2-1 victory over Suriname, with number one seed Maginley easily dispatching Yigal Bergen 6-2, 6-2 in singles action. Maginley then partnered with Monelle to claim a hard-fought doubles victory 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, sealing the tie for Antigua and Barbuda.
However, the team faced a significant setback in their match against the Bahamas, suffering a comprehensive 3-0 defeat. Weeks endured a difficult opening match, losing 6-0, 6-0 to Donte Armbrister in what marked the Bahamian’s first-ever Davis Cup singles victory. Maginley put up more resistance in the second singles but ultimately fell to Denali Nottage 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, clinching the tie for the Bahamas. The doubles pairing of Monelle and Ron Murraine completed the whitewash, losing 6-0, 6-2 to the Bahamian duo of Armbrister and Kofi Bowe.
The tournament began on a positive note for Antigua and Barbuda with a 2-1 victory over Panama on August 4. Maginley set the tone with a commanding singles performance against Davis Rodriguez, winning 6-0, 6-3. The experienced player then teamed up with Monelle to secure the doubles rubber 7-6, 6-0, giving Antigua and Barbuda their opening victory.
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