Bermuda’s young tennis hopefuls face a crucial period of recalibration after being outclassed by a clinical Guatemala side in their latest Under-16 qualifying fixture.
In a tie defined by shifting conditions and home-court advantage, the trio of Jaden Jones, Michael Collins, and Hasan Khan struggled to find their rhythm against the seasoned hosts. Jorge Estevez set the tone early, dismantling Jones 6-1, 6-0, before Martin Garcia secured an unassailable 2–0 lead for Guatemala with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over a resilient Collins.
Any hopes of a consolation point were extinguished in the doubles, as Collins and Khan fell 6-1, 6-2 to the dominant Garcia pairing. The result leaves Bermuda with no room for error in their remaining Group 1 matches as they chase a spot in April’s final qualifying rounds in Canada.
Veteran coach Brent Smith noted that while the team struggled with the “jitters” and altitude early on, technical improvements—including halving their double-fault count—offer a glimmer of hope. The focus now shifts to recovery and clinical execution as the squad looks to “hit the ground running” in their next rubber.
