‘VENOM’ INTO SEMI FINALS

by David Harris

Defending champion Mark “Venom” Griffith is into the semi-finals of the Barbados Road Tennis Open after beating Keon Murrell in the quarter-finals last weekend at Gall Hill, St John over the weekend. 

Griffith, the three times winner of the tournament defeated Murrell 21-14, 21-17, he will meet teenager Jael Greaves in the semi-finals. Greaves is the lone newcomer in the semi-finals, the 17-year-old student of the Samuel Jackman Institute of Technology conquered Dwayne Lunch 22-20, 21-8. 

Shakeem Nurse the losing finalist in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the tournament won an entertaining encounter against Darius “Baracus” Gaskin 21-13, 14-21,21-19. Nurse will play the flamboyant Davien “Force Ripe” Talyor in the semis. Taylor was victorious over last year’s losing finalist Dario Hinds 21-11, 21-17. 

The top four ladies advanced into the semi-finals of the ladies’ segment of the Open; defending champion Kim Holder dismantled Kezia Blunt 21-18, 21-11. Second seed Sheldene Walrond stopped Jelesa Holder-Vaughn 21-13, 21-8. Third seed Maudlyn Blunt easily defeated Asabi Downey 21-12, 21-11, and Rachel Smith was triumphant over Kyana Holder 23-21, 21-9. 

Walrond will play Smith and Holder will meet Blunt. The semi-finals are scheduled to take place tonight at Dover, Christ Church.