Bicknell relieved to be back in winner’s circle

Jamaica’s top tennis player, Blaise Bicknell, says he is overjoyed and relieved after capturing the ITF M15 Pembroke tournament title at the WER Joell Tennis Stadium in Bermuda on Sunday.

Bicknell, who has been Jamaica’s leading player for more than a decade, defeated Poland’s Kacper Szymkowiak 6-2, 6-2 in the singles final to secure the crown.

The 24-year-old was in impressive form throughout the tournament. He brushed aside Canada’s Alvin Nicholas 6-1, 6-1 in the semi-finals before completing his run with another commanding victory over Szymkowiak in the title match.

Bicknell said the triumph was particularly satisfying after a difficult couple of months during which he battled a series of injuries.

“It has been a rough couple of months because I have been struggling with some injuries, so this tournament win is a huge confidence and morale boost for me. Hopefully, I can use this momentum to continue to improve,” said Bicknell.

“It was a tough tournament because there were a lot of the top Caribbean players and some top American, Canadian and Polish players, so I was happy that I could come out on top.”

Bicknell, who is currently ranked 390th in the world, expects the victory to provide a boost to his ranking as he looks to build on the success and finish the season strongly.

He added that he is feeling much better physically and hopes to remain injury-free as he prepares for a number of ATP Challenger tournaments in the region.

“I am feeling good now, so hopefully, I can keep the injuries away and continue to stay healthy and finish out the season strong. I have a couple more ATP Challengers in the region, and then I will move on from there,” he said.

“This tournament win definitely boosts my ranking, so it is just all up from here. I want to continue on this path of working very hard and continue to improve my game every time I step out on the court.”