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Home crowd did it for Jamaica – Phillips
February 06, 2023
Jamaica tennis star Rowland 'Randy' Phillips believes home crowd advantage made a difference in Jamaica's 3-2 win over Estonia in their Davis Cup Group II play-offs at the Eric Bell National Tennis Centre yesterday, to advance for the first time in two decades.
Phillips dismissed Kristjan Tamm 2-0 (6-1, 6-1) in the opening game on Saturday, while Blaise Bicknell stopped Kenneth Raisma 2-1 (4-6, 6-4, 6-0), to put the hosts in the driver's seat (2-0) going into yesterday's second and final day.
Raisma and Jurgen Zopp combined to defeat John Chin and Daniel Azar 2-0 (6-1, 6-2 in the doubles event, to bring the series to 2-1.
Bicknell, however, got the better of Tamm, who lost by default after he flung his racket and hit an official.
Bicknell, who had won the first set tiebreaker 7-6, secured Jamaica's place, with 11 other qualifiers in Group II, after Tamm's outburst.
In the final reverse single, which was only of academic interest, Jacob Bicknell lost 6-1, 6-0 to Johannes Seeman.
Nevertheless, Phillips thought it was an evenly poised tie and credits the fans for giving them the edge.
"It (Group II qualification) is an amazing feeling. We have been to this play-offs three times and haven't won. So it is a great feeling for us to go through on Jamaican soil.
"We have a young team, we are building and getting stronger, but the crowd was the deciding factor.
"They felt the pressure and we felt their energy. It is so much fun with the Jamaican people supporting us. It could not have been any better, to come out in front of the crowd and execute like this, was amazing," he commented.
Team captain/coach Mel Spence said Jamaica deserve their place in Group II of the Davis Cup.
"I am unbelievably proud. We've put in a lot of hard work and we deserve to be in the position we are in.
"I am super proud of the guys. Randy was incredible. Blaise didn't play his best tennis but fought very well and Daniel and John in the doubles did their best and got an opportunity to get their feet wet.
"But the whole team did well. It is the first we have been to Group II in 25 years and it is just awesome. The spotlight is now on us and it is for us to push on," he said.
