St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ rising tennis stars have completed a historic and developmental milestone on the regional stage. On Saturday, August 15, 2026, an enthusiastic eight-member contingent departed our shores to represent the nation at the annual COTECC Sub Region-4 (SR4) U12 Team Competition, which got underway at the National Racquet Sports Centre in Tacarigua on Sunday, August 16.
This prestigious tournament represents the pinnacle of junior tennis for the Lesser Antilles, drawing competition from across the 19-member nations of the COTECC Sub Region-4. In the highly competitive Boys division, nine nations fielded ten teams—including Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, Suriname, host nation Trinidad & Tobago (with both A and B squads), and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Meanwhile, the Girls division featured seven of these nations represented across eight teams, with Barbados and Curaçao not fielding girls’ lineups.
For St. Vincent and the Grenadines, this tournament was far more than a set of matches; it marked a historic national team selection and debut for every single junior player on the roster. For several of these young athletes, the trip also represented their very first time leaving the shores of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The SVG squads, led by dedicated coaches, consisted of the following players:
- Boys Team: Zion Byfield-Grant, Keyondré Gaymes, and Nathaniel Sheen, guided by Coach and Captain Sebastian Cyrus.
- Girls Team: Amaia Waterstone, Nakayda Cain, and Amina Lucas, led by Coach and Captain Roxann Williams.
The Vincentian boys were placed in Group C for the initial round-robin phase. They faced tough regional matchups but demonstrated immense grit and growth with every game played.
Tie 1: St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Trinidad & Tobago B (Loss, 0-3)
In their opening round-robin match, the boys faced a strong Trinidad & Tobago B squad:
- Singles #2: Keyondré Gaymes battled Liam Singh in a competitive match, ultimately falling 3-6, 3-6.
- Singles #1: Zion Byfield-Grant faced Zachary Anthony, losing 1-6, 2-6.
- Doubles: The duo of Zion Byfield-Grant and Nathaniel Sheen fell to Zachary Anthony and Daniel Ward 0-6, 4-6 after a stronger showing in the second set.
Tie 2: St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Aruba (Loss, 0-3)
Against a dominant Aruban lineup, the young Vincentians found the going tough:
- Singles #2: Keyondré Gaymes was defeated by Adam Oehlers 0-6, 0-6.
- Singles #1: Zion Byfield-Grant fell to Gian Piero Donadi 0-6, 0-6.
- Doubles: Keyondré Gaymes and Nathaniel Sheen teamed up but lost to Gian Piero Donadi and Adam Oehlers 1-6, 0-6.
Tie 3: St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Guyana (Win, 3-0)
The boys bounced back sensationally in their final group match, capturing a sweep against Guyana:
- Singles #2: Nathaniel Sheen put on an exceptional performance to defeat Liam Felix 6-1, 3-0, before Felix was forced to retire.
- Singles #1: Zion Byfield-Grant played high-level tennis to defeat Yoshua Mangru in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.
- Doubles: Zion Byfield-Grant and Keyondré Gaymes secured a walkover victory against Yoshua Mangru and Liam Felix to complete the 3-0 sweep.
In the girls’ division, the SVG team competed in Group B, going head-to-head with some of the region’s top junior players.
Tie 1: St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Suriname (Loss, 0-3)
The SVG girls opened their campaign with a hard-fought match against Suriname:
- Singles #2: Nakayda Cain played an absolute thriller against Xamae Ooft, rallying to win the second set before narrowly losing in a tense match tie-breaker 1-6, 6-4, 6-10.
- Singles #1: Amaia Waterstone put up a strong fight but fell to Dominique Tjon Akiet 0-6, 2-6.
- Doubles: Amaia Waterstone and Amina Lucas teamed up for a tight doubles battle, falling just short against Shalomi Jodhabier and Dominique Tjon Akiet 5-7, 3-6.
Tie 2: St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Trinidad & Tobago A (Loss, 0-3)
Facing the tournament hosts’ top squad, the girls faced an uphill battle:
- Singles #2: Nakayda Cain lost to Teijha Wellington 0-6, 0-6.
- Singles #1: Amaia Waterstone fell to Anaya Roberts 0-6, 0-6.
- Doubles: Amaia Waterstone and Amina Lucas were defeated by Anaya Roberts and Zara Walker 2-6, 2-6.
Tie 3: St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Guyana (Loss, 1-2)
The group stage concluded with a razor-thin tie against Guyana:
- Singles #2: Amina Lucas secured a brilliant win for SVG, defeating Breyanna Younge in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.
- Singles #1: Amaia Waterstone fought hard but fell to Israbella Grannum 2-6, 0-6.
- Doubles: In the deciding doubles rubber, Nakayda Cain and Amina Lucas won a superb first set but were edged out by Israbella Grannum and Monalisa Graham in a heart-wrenching match tie-breaker 6-4, 3-6, 6-10.
With the group stages concluded, both teams moved into placement brackets, leading to some of the tournament’s most memorable performances.
In the first round of the 7th-10th place playoff, the SVG boys faced arch-rivals Grenada in an unforgettable encounter, winning 2-1:
- Singles #2: Keyondré Gaymes delivered a clutch performance to defeat Jeremiah York 6-3, 7-6 with a 7-2 tiebreaker in the second set.
- Singles #1: Zion Byfield-Grant engaged in an epic battle of wills with Ocean Francis. After splitting sets 6-2, 2-6, Byfield-Grant showed nerves of steel in a historic, marathon match tie-breaker, sealing the victory 17-15.
- Doubles: Keyondré Gaymes and Nathaniel Sheen fell to Teyden Baptiste and Jeremiah York 6-4, 0-6, 3-10, but SVG’s singles dominance had already clinched the tie.
In the 7th/8th place playoff, the boys faced Curaçao, finishing their tournament with a 0-2 loss:
- Singles #2: Keyondré Gaymes lost to Zhair Rofina 0-6, 2-6.
- Singles #1: Zion Byfield-Grant fell to Michael Huizer 2-6, 2-6.
- Doubles: The doubles match was not played. The boys concluded the tournament in a respectable 8th position overall.
Girls’ Playoff: Amaia’s Brilliance and 7th Place Finish
In the girls’ 5th-8th place playoff, SVG fought hard against Aruba, falling 1-2 in a tight tie:
- Singles #2: Amina Lucas fell to Iona de L’Isle 3-6, 3-6.
- Singles #1: Amaia Waterstone played flawless tennis, demolishing Dhaeline Tromp 6-0, 6-1.
- Doubles: The tie came down to a tense doubles rubber, where Amaia Waterstone and Nakayda Cain fought valiantly but lost to Iona de L’Isle and Dhaeline Tromp 4-6, 5-7.
In the 7th/8th place playoff, the girls ended their tournament on an absolute high note, sweeping Grenada 2-0 to claim 7th position:
- Singles #2: Amina Lucas was unstoppable, delivering a double-bagel victory against Atarah Fortune 6-0, 6-0.
- Singles #1: Amaia Waterstone continued her dominant playoff form, cruising past Kayleigh Elcock 6-1, 6-0.
- Doubles: The doubles match was not played as the tie was already won.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines finished the event with the boys in 8th place (overall record of 2 ties won and 3 ties lost; 4-6 singles, 1-3 doubles matches) and the girls in 7th place (overall record of 1 tie won and 4 ties lost; 4-6 singles, 0-4 doubles matches).
Despite the mixed results, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tennis Association (SVGTA) expressed immense pride in the achievements of these young players. SVGTA President Dr. Preye Griffith commended the team’s spirit, noting that the exposure gained is invaluable.
“Despite the results, the SVGTA is proud of our juniors’ showing at this tournament, and thanks them for representing St Vincent & the Grenadines,” said President Dr. Preye Griffith. “This outing marked all players’ debut representing a national team, and is even the first time that some have left our shores. Opportunities like this are crucial for player development both on and off the court. The many fruitful experiences had, and lessons learned will continue to add to their foundation, and the SVGTA is confident in each player’s commitment to improving.”
The participation of these junior tennis players was made possible through the generous support of key developmental partners. The SVGTA expressed sincere gratitude to the Mustique SVG Tennis Development Fund and the SVG Olympic Committee, whose funding paved the way for this historic journey.
