Bermuda’s junior Davis Cup stars faced a challenging day in Guatemala City as their qualifying campaign moved into the Under 16 classification rounds. Competing in the 9th to 16th place play-off match, the young Bermudian side showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately fell to a narrow 2–1 defeat at the hands of the US Virgin Islands.
The tie opened with a three-set thriller that set a high bar for the remainder of the afternoon. Hasan Khan represented Bermuda in the first singles rubber against Weston Wagner, and after a difficult start that saw Wagner take the first set 6-3, Khan displayed immense resolve. The Bermudian fought back to level the match with a gritty 6-4 second-set victory, forcing a deciding frame. However, Wagner regained his composure in the final set, defeating Khan 10-3 to give the US Virgin Islands the early advantage.
Pressure mounted on Bermuda in the second singles match as Jaden Jones took to the court against Croix Nelthropp. Despite a competitive opening set where Jones pushed his opponent to the limit, Nelthropp proved too strong in the decisive moments, securing a straight-sets victory with a 7-5, 6-3 scoreline. The result doubled the lead for the US Virgin Islands and mathematically secured the overall tie before the final rubber commenced.
Bermuda did manage to salvage pride and momentum in the concluding doubles match. Hasan Khan returned to the court alongside Michael Collins to face the pairing of Nelthropp and Wagner. The Bermudian duo demonstrated excellent chemistry and clinical net play throughout the encounter, wrapping up a comprehensive 6-4, 6-3 straight-sets win. While the doubles victory was not enough to overturn the overall deficit, it provided a positive finish to a grueling day of international competition on the clay.
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