Bermuda's top junior tennis player Gavin Manders breezed through to the second round of the International Tennis Federation World Ranking Junior Tournament at the WER Joell Stadium yesterday, crushing American Justin White in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1.

Although he took to the court yesterday evening with a heavily strapped ankle, Manders looked in supreme touch throughout the short encounter, striking the ball consistently deep and at a pace his athletic looking opponent simply couldn't handle.

The youngster, who begins a tennis scholarship at the Florida Gulf Coast University later this year, now moves on to face the top seed in the 18 and under division, Jerome Ward of Trinidad today. Ward was handed a first round bye.

Manders was clearly thrilled with his performance yesterday, noting he “couldn't have played any better”.

“That is probably the best I've played all year,” he said.

“I feel great about my game at the moment and as long as I've got the ankle strapped up I don't have any real problems with my movement. Going into the match I thought I was going to have a few more problems with him than I did but in all honestly if I can't do well feeling like this then I'm never going to do well.”

Manders did concede, however, that he was “disappointed” to have to play the number one seed so early in the tournament.

But he could not be in a better frame of mind moving into a match which many believe will be closely fought.

“Certainly I think I've been given the worst draw out of all the Bermudians taking part in the event,” he said.

“I know a little bit about Jerome and he is a very solid all round player. But I'm going to be out on that court all day and if he is not prepared to stay with me then he is going to lose.”

Meanwhile, one of Bermuda tennis' brightest female prospects, Jacklyn Lambert, was narrowly defeated by Victoria Ayala of the USA in three closely-contested sets - 2-6, 6-3, 3-6

Looking hesitant and ill at ease in the first, Lambert was stretched all around the court by her hard-hitting opponent and made a number of errors under pressure.

But the 15-year-old stormed back in the second, running down balls with a grim determination and forcing an impatient Ayala into unnecessary mistakes.

And at 3-1 up in the third, Lambert looked set for an unlikely triumph before Ayala, galvanised into action by her shaky predicament, pulled off a five-game winning streak to take the set and the match.

Other Bermudians in action included 14-year-old David Thomas, who beat off a spirited challenge from Justin Dorfman of Hong Kong in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

Alex Cooper came up against Irishman Thomas Svenson, and though he played impressively in the first, falling 8-6 in the tie-break, he faded dramatically in the second, losing it 6-1.

Drew Burnett-Herkes lost 6-3, 2-6, 4-6 in the 14 and under division to American Chase Urban while an all-Bermudian encounter between Matteo Frazzoni and Frederick Wade ended with Wade the victor 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Charles Skater went down to Noah Haynes of Trinidad, 1-6, 1-6.

The tournament continues today with play scheduled to start at 10.30 a.m.