National Tennis Director Douglas Burke (left), Tournament Director Arthur Phillpotts (second left), Tennis Jamaica President Phillip Gore (second right) and Pan Caribbean's Manager of Marketing Divisions, Melissa Crooks (right), have a chat with national representative Tinesta Rowe at the launch of the 2007 Pan Caribbean All Jamaica Junior Championships at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Many of Jamaica's top juniors will renew rivalry when the local calendar's premier junior event, the competitive Pan Caribbean All Jamaica Junior Tennis Championship, serves off in two weeks.

This year, over 100 participants from across the island are expected to journey to the Eric Bell Tennis Centre, where they will take part in the tournament which has hosted many of Jamaica's top juniors for over 40 years.

The tournament, which will run from July 5 to 8, will see the players participate in the 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 and under age categories. The local tournament is one week before the International Tennis Federation (ITF)-sanctioned Jamaica Junior Championships, which allows invited players the opportunity to gain ITF world junior ranking points.

National tennis director, Douglas Burke, was pleased to have the continued support of financial giants Pan Caribbean in its objective to develop the sport.

"We are hoping to develop a stronger link between the schools tennis competitions and the mainstream junior tournaments," Burke explained.

"The Pan Caribbean All Jamaica tournament gives an opportunity for students who play at the school level to take part in a junior championship," he added.

This year's tournament is expected to be a competitive one, and there will be a new Boys 18 champion as Eldad Campbell is not taking part.

Runner-up Christopher Lawson will start favourite in that category, which is still expected to be tightly contested.

Other top juniors expected to take part in this years tournament will be the Brandon Burke, last year's 14's champion, Adam Vaz, last year's 16's champion and Shaneka Knight, girls 14 and under champion. The players are all currently members of the Tennis Jamaica talent squad.