Nachev takes singles and doubles tennis titles

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 14 February 2017

Illian Nachev won a tough singles final.

In a showdown between two former collegiate players battled it out in a competitive men’s singles final of the 2017 Cayman Open Tennis Championships last Saturday, 11 February.

Illian Nachev defeated Kevin Fawcett 7-6, 6-4 at the Cayman Islands Tennis Club in South Sound. Nachev also claimed the doubles crown, teaming up with top junior player, Callum Theaker. The pair defeated local pro Adam Bayley and Richard Harrison.

Kevin Fawcett lost in a tough two-setter.

Also on Saturday, two top junior females were on opposite sides of the net for the women’s final. Top-ranked junior player Jade Wilkinson, who lost 6-0, 6-1 to Yana Koraleva in the singles final on Thursday, teamed up with Jennifer Frizzelle. They met Koraleva and junior Lauren Fullerton, who won comfortably in straight sets.

The women’s 45 singles was won by Maxine Wesley from England, who took on a club member Susan Dasher, while the men’s 45’s singles was won by John Davies defeating Steve Theaker.

Top juniors Callum Theaker and Jade Wilkinson won the Mixed Doubles. (photo by Martin Wilkinson)

In the mixed open finals, the Cayman Open was treated to see three out of the four participants under 17 years of age. Callum Theaker and Jade Wilkinson took on Mike Fullerton and Lauren Fullerton, the father daughter combination, in the finals. In the exciting match Friday evening, Theaker and Wilkinson won the championship.

Koroleva, who was once ranked 385 in the world, has just moved to Cayman and showed her talent on the CITC courts losing only two games in the entire tournament. “Yana, is by far the best female player to play in the Cayman Open and it was a great pleasure for the players and spectators see the talented professional in action,” a club release stated.