Sports
SHAKEEM NURSE IS THE CHAMPION
by David Harris
Shakeem Nurse is the winner of the Barbados Road Tennis Open (BRTO) after dethroning the defending champion Mark “Venom” Griffith at the Gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Complex on Saturday night.
It took an hour and three minutes for Nurse to win his first ever BRTO championship before a packed Gymnasium.
Nurse, who was defeated by Griffith in the in 2022 and 2023 final won the match 22-20, 20-15, 21-15 in three straight matches.
The first game was an epic battle between the 20-year-old Nurse and Griffith the 41- year veteran, and winner of the three previous editions of tournament. Nurse dominated the early stages of the game with several powerful forearm drives, and at 20-16 was one point away from winning the game. But Griffith fought back and locked the game at 20 before Nurse played two powerful smashes to win the game.
In the second game, Griffith held a 11-8 lead, but Nurse locked the scores at 12 and 14;
and never looked or relinquished the lead, he moved Griffith around the court before closing out the game at 21-15.
The third game was as entertaining as the first two, Nurse rushed to 12-5 lead, before Griffith staged a fight back scoring seven points to take the score 13-12. Nurse held his composure and won the next five points to race 18-12, by then, his supporters in the Gym was in a state of uncontrolled excitement.
The fans screamed and dancing with as Nurse blazed his way to the title and the first prize of $20,000, while Griffith had to settle for the second prize of $15,000.
“This is my third time playing in the final and I trained extremely hard for the match. Some of the spectators were backing me to win the title; while others thought I was going to lose, but you can’t lose all and I come up on top tonight”, an elated Nurse told journalists after the match.
“I know Venom is a good player he won the tournament on three occasions, and I feel so good tonight that I can’t even explain how good I feel to win this tournament. I feel so happy with myself, and for my supporters that came out to watch me “, he added.
Griffith praised the new champion, describing him as a “fabulous player, and called him “one for the future”.
“I am taking nothing away from Shakeem; he is fabulous player, and I always said in the past, he is one for the future. He displayed his skills here tonight; and I had no answer to them”, the deposed champion said.
Griffith said losing the title was not the end for him and assured his fans that he will be back.
“To all those who came out and supported me this is not the end; Mark “Venom “Griffith will be back. I accept the fact that younger players are emerging and are looking to take over. No one defeats father time I am going to be 41 years next week (September 25th), Shakeem is 20 I am twice his age. Maybe I was due a loss this is six going seven years that I have not been defeated in a major competition. It shows that I got to go back to the drawing board and work on my game and add a bit more, maybe I should be more attacking”, Giffith said.
Teenager Jael Greaves placed third and pocketed $10,000; the 17-year-old defeated Davien “Force Ripe” Taylor 17-21, 13-21, 21-10,21-15,21-19. Taylor earned $000 for placing fourth.
Meanwhile Sheldene Walrond is the new queen of the BRTO, after defeating Rachel Smith 14-21, 21-13, 21-13. Walrond won $20,000, while Smith took home $15,00. Maudlyn Blunt, the 2023 losing finalist placed third and took home $10,000 after beating the 2022 and 2024 champion Kim Holder 21-12, 21-13. Holder won $5000.
