Junior tennis players from the Coballt Racquet Sports Academy have concluded another competitive international campaign, testing their skills against strong regional and global opposition at the Barbados Bowl II. Held from October 31 to November 5, 2026, at the Raymond Forde National Tennis Centre in Wildey, St. Michael, the World Tennis Tour Junior J30 event brought together top under-18 competitors. For the Villa-based academy in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the trip represented the second international outing to Barbados in 2026, following their initial appearance at the first edition of the tournament in April.
Accompanied by Coballt head coach Taj Ballantyne, players Ethan Kent and Khaled Hope engaged in rigorous singles and doubles competition aimed at elevating their tactical game and match sharpness. While facing steep opposition throughout the week, the exposure provided critical international match play as the academy builds its long-term development pipeline.
Fourteen-year-old Ethan Kent continued to demonstrate substantial growth on the international circuit. Still in his final year of under-14 eligibility, Kent competed in his fourth under-18 international tournament of the season and of his career. In singles round-robin play, Kent delivered a competitive performance against Great Britain’s Misha Davidenko, finishing with a scoreline of 4-6, 2-6. He also contested matches against Zach King of Barbados and Eric Gurin of Canada, recording 0-6, 3-6 results in both contests. Moving into the doubles draw, Kent paired with Canada’s Nicholas Cibu, where the duo reached the Round of 16 before falling 2-6, 2-6 to brother pair Eric and Mark Gurin. Kent’s steady progression follows a career milestone achieved in August 2026 at the J30 Kingstown event in SVG, where he earned his first singles win. He currently holds a World Junior ranking of #4296.
For Khaled Hope, the academy’s newest member, the Barbados tournament represented a major career milestone as his first international competition outside St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Having now competed in three international tournaments during 2026, Hope pushed through challenging round-robin singles action, registering a top result of 2-6, 0-6 against Brandon Warren of Barbados. In doubles competition, Hope teamed up with fellow countryman Akquin Johnson. The Vincentian pairing reached the Round of 16, falling in a competitive 0-6, 4-6 contest against Garrick Pilgrim of Barbados and Brandon Brisbane of St. Kitts & Nevis.
The Barbados Bowl II stands as the second of two international junior tournaments hosted annually at the Raymond Forde National Tennis Centre. Academy head coach Taj Ballantyne and administrator Sebastian Cyrus underscored that gaining exposure to high-caliber opponents remains central to player growth.
The academy extended formal appreciation to supporting organizations that made the trip possible, including the Reggae Cup Foundation, National Lotteries Authority, Bank of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and GECCU. As Coballt Racquet Sports Academy turns its focus toward the upcoming 2027 international season, efforts remain ongoing to nurture local talent from grassroots entry to international competitive play.
