By Tyriq Walters
December 23, 2024
The One Guyana President’s Cup Squash tournament wrapped up over the weekend at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue, with Nicollette Fernandes and Jason-Ray Khalil claiming victories in the women’s and men’s events, respectively.
In the Women’s final, Fernandes dominated the match, defeating Mary Fung-a-Fat with ease in straight sets: 11-5, 11-7, 11-1.
In the Men’s final, Khalil faced a tough challenge from Shomari Wiltshire.
After dropping the first game 8-11, Khalil fought back to win the next three games, securing the title with a 11-6, 11-7, 13-11 scoreline, marking his second Men’s singles title.
In the junior categories, 9-year-old Zion Hickerson claimed the Boys’ U15 title, while Emily Fung-a-Fat impressed with victories in both the Girls’ U15 and U19 divisions. Demetri Lowe triumphed in the Boys’ U19 final.
The Women’s Doubles event saw Ashley Khalil and Ashley DeGroot take the title, while in the Men’s Doubles, Jason-Ray Khalil teamed up with Alex Arjoon to secure victory.
David Fernandes, President of the Guyana Squash Association (GSA), praised the high quality of the tournament, particularly the performance of the junior players.
He highlighted the association’s efforts to support junior athletes by offering contracts and setting benchmarks to ensure consistent progress.
The tournament, sponsored by the Government of Guyana, was the first of its kind and has been hailed as a major success for the sport.