U.S. Virgin Islands Under 14 Junior Tennis Team Posts Best International Results In 7 Years

SAN SALVADOR — The USVI U-14 boys finished in 6th place at the 2022 North Central America & Caribbean Pre-Qualifying World Junior Tennis U-14 tournament after losing to El Salvador on the last day of matches.  

This was the team’s second attempt against El Salvador during the International Tennis Federation (ITF)-sanctioned tournament.  The only other time a U.S. Virgin Islands team has placed this high in a World Junior Tennis (WJT) tournament was in 2014.  

The team was composed of three players, Yared Alfred, 14, Rohan Nelthropp, 14, and Ozzy Odom, 13.  They played in San Salvador, El Salvador, from February 21st – February 26th, competing against 15 other Central American and Caribbean nations. 

(From left to right) Rohan Nelthropp, Yared Alfred and Ozzy Odom

They were accompanied by their travel coach, Laurent “Tippy” Alfred.  The young men were selected to play and represent the U.S. Virgin Islands by their sponsors, the Virgin Islands Tennis Association. 

The team is also sponsored by the U.S. Virgin Islands Olympic Committee.

The U-14 boys team will also be representing the US Virgin Islands in the U-16 Junior Davis Cup Tournament being held in the Dominican Republic in March 2022.

(From left to right) Ozzy Odom, Yared Alfred, Laurent “Tippy” Alfred and Rohan Nelthropp.

Results: 

Day 1 – 2/21: 0-3 Loss to El Salvador in 2 singles matches and 1 doubles match.Day 2- 2/22: 3-0 Win against Puerto Rico in 2 singles matches and 1 doubles match.Day 3- 2/23: 3-0 Win against Suriname in 2 singles matches and 1 doubles match.

Day 4- 2/24: 0-3 Loss to Dominican Republic in 2 singles matches and 1 doubles match.

Day 5- 2/25: 2-1 Overall win against Costa Rica in 1 singles match and 1 doubles match and loss in 1 singles match.

Day 6- 2/26: 0-2 Loss against El Salvador in 2 singles matches.