Bicknell eager to get back on court
Published:Wednesday | August 12, 2020 | 12:18 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica’s number one tennis player, Blaise Bicknell, is scheduled to return to competitive action next month, as he is down to participate in a Professional Future men’s tournament in Illinois on September 14.
This will be Bicknell’s first competitive tournament since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced the postponement of a number of international sporting events across the globe.
Bicknell, who admitted that he is anxious to return to competitive tennis, said that he is looking forward to this tournament.
“I am very prepared for this tournament because I have been preparing for like four months now, and I have been putting in a lot of work and stuff,” said Bicknell.
TRAINING HARD
“I am training really hard now with Randy Phillips and my brother, Jacob, but I am going to go to school for like two weeks to continue from preparations over there for this tournament in Illinois,” he added. “I can’t wait to start competing again and travelling, and also enjoying the game of the tennis that I love.”
The 18-year-old Bicknell, who attends the University of Florida in the United States, underscored that he has seen a lot of improvements in his overall game on court and therefore, he is feeling good about his chances going into this tournament.
“It is going to be a very tough tournament because a lot of people who have been out through COVID-19 are going to be playing in it, and so it is going to be a very difficult tournament,” Bicknell said.
“My aim is to continue to improve on my serve, which is becoming very good, and my returns are also getting a lot better, too,” he said.
Bicknell, who helped Jamaica secure promotion to Group Two of the Davis Cup competition last year, was scheduled to compete in a Professional Future men’s tournament in Belarus later this month, but he had to withdraw because of personal reasons.
“This COVID-19 has affected me because I haven’t been able to travel and compete in any tournaments,” he said. “I am disappointed that I won’t be playing in this tournament, but I just have to move forward and keep working hard on improving my game.”