Carl Spence, Gleaner Writer

THE RACQUETS complex at the Constant Spring Golf Club will come alive on the next two weekends as Jamaica's top badminton playersmatch their wits against internationals from Denmark, Surinam, England and Mexico in the 13th staging of the Racketeers Badminton Tournament.

The tournament, which provides international experience for local players and seeks to foster the development of the national badminton programme, will this year serve as a warm-up/evaluation for the Jamaicans as they prepare to travel to Surinam for next month's Caribbean Regional Badminton Championships.

Internationals

Among the internationals invited to the tournament are Surinam's Virgil Soeroredjo and Jill Sjauw Mook, two of that country's top performers who should give the locals some good practice before the Championship.

The other internationals are Denmark's Lone Hesel, Frank Hesel, Erik Brydegaard and Esben Christensen, Mexico's Nadia and Ocar Lujan while Dave Thompson is the lone player from England.

The Jamaicans who are expected to participate in the tournament for the men are former nationals Paul Leyow, Roy Paul Jr. and Neil Abraham, along with current player Gareth Junior, who is the nation's top junior, as well as Emilio Mendez and John Martin, who are both in Brazil for the Pan American Games but should return in time for the tournament.

Women scheduled

The women scheduled to participate in the competition are current nationals Nigella Saunders and Alya Lewis, along with Terri Alya-Walker and Christen Mayne.

The competition will serve off with B and D divisions sponsored by Supreme Ventures and Wysinco/Jamaica Biscuit Company, respectively, and should feature a number of junior players from today through to next Monday.

The tournament's premier event, the Open, sponsored by Mayberry Investments Limited, the C division, with sponsorship from Voltaren, and the Over-40 Masters, supported by Super Plus, will be played from July 27-31.