Four-time defending national champ Colin Ramasra's hopes of claiming his first senior Caribbean Squash Championships title ended last night with a straight sets defeat at the 2009 senior CASA tournament in Cayman Islands on Wednesday night. The UK-based player entered the final as favourite, after upseting the number one seed Dean Watson of the Cayman Islands, in four gruelling sets. However, it was not to be his time, as the night belonged to Jamaica's No 1 seed Chris Binnie, who also created an upset by ousting the No 2 seed, Shawn Simpson of Barbados.
The title, however, was not given to him on a platter. Rather, he had to fight hard to get past Ramasra. Binnie took a very competitive first set at nine (11-9), before prevailing in the second in almost similar fashion at eight (11-8). The third and final set turned out to be an anti-climax as the new regional king brushed aside Ramasra at six (11-6), to claim the coveted title. The men's plate was won by Bruce Burrowes, another Jamaican who defeated his uncle Warren Burrowes in the final 12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9.
Defending regional queen, Nicolette Fernandes of Guyana, retained her crown with a straight sets win as well, in the women's final.
The Guyanese, who was once number 27 in the world but was out for a while due to injury, got the better of No 2 seed Karen Meakins of Barbados 12-10, 11-7, 11-4. The women's plate was won by Lea Solomon of Barbados, who defeated fellow Barbadian Sherice Mc Donald in four sets, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9. Both T&T women and men's teams won their first team match. The men, playing in Pool B, beat Bermuda 4-1, while the women enjoyed a convincing 5-0 victory over Jamaica in a Pool B clash. T&T vets, however, lost their second match, going down to Barbados 3-2.
Results
Men's final
Chris Binnie (JAM) def. Colin Ramasra (T&T) 11-9, 11-8, 11-6
Women's final
Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) def. Karen Meakins (BAR) 12-10, 11-7, 11-4
Men's Plate final
Bruce Burrowes (JAM) def. Warren Burrowes (JAM)11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9
Women's Plate final
Lea Solomon (BAR) def. Sherice Mc Donald12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9
Team
Women
T&T def Jamaica 5-0
Men
T&T def Bermuda 4-1
