By Akeem Greene
National champion Jason-Ray Khalil and Kristian Jeffrey on Tuesday battled hard to win gold in the Men’s Doubles at the Senior Caribbean Squash Championships, being staged at the Georgetown Club, Guyana.
Despite both were unable to practice together to build chemistry, they complimented each other quite well to come from behind and topple Barbadians Khamal Cumberbatch and Shawn Simpson 3-11, 11-8, 11-10.
The gold is of great significance since it is the first year the senior championship has implemented Doubles, and it goes a great way in helping Guyana to cop the overall title.
Khalil and Jeffrey’s fitness was tested in sweltering heat, and combination was vital, especially against a southpaw dominant Simpson, who, in the first set rattled the Guyanese to his side of strength.
Adjustments were made and Khalil looked to displace him by feeding more balls to the right and it was there Jeffrey hammered Cumberbatch to the corners.
Speaking to News Room Sport after the gruelling match, Jeffrey stated it was a special feeling winning Caribbean gold in front of his home crowd and he welcomes the points gathered in regards to clinching the overall title.
Likewise, Khalil stated, “It was a huge battle, we played off each other strengths and we just hung in there and did what we needed to win.”
The Guyanese pair Taylor Fernandes and Ashley Khalil lost to their Bajan counterparts, Meagan Best and Amanda Haywood, 5-11, 9-11.
From the onset, topping the Bajan was no easy task, but they fought extremely hard. Even on an injured leg, Khalil was lunging to retrieve balls in what was a selfless display by both players.
Khalil explained they went too much on the attack and it caused them to make mistakes; in hindsight, they should have played a patient game and pounce on the errors of the Bajans.
