Imani Phillips headlined a list of Bermuda pickleball players to win medals at the Total Health Cayman Islands Open when she clinched silver in the 4.5 and above mixed doubles.

Bermuda’s top female player partnered with Yaniv Semo, from Israel, with the pair losing 9-11, 11-9, 8-11, to the Cayman duo of Jess Murie and Michael Carse in the final.

Before winning silver on Sunday, Phillips reached the quarter-finals of the women’s singles main draw, while her partnership with fellow Bermudian, Naphisa Smith, secured fourth position in the women’s doubles.

Phillips, who is now in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the Geico Association Of Pickleball Players Tour Championships, was relieved to achieve success on the final day in Cayman.

“In the pro women's singles, I got knocked out in the quarter-finals by Alexa Schull,” Phillips told The Royal Gazette.

“It’s the second time that we’ve met and I believe that I played super well, but I ended up losing.

“It was frustrating, but she was just in form that day and I wasn’t. In the second round, the back draw, because you go from main draw to back draw if you lose in the main draw, I got knocked out.

“I played way better in that one, so I was happier, but I did my comeback a little bit too late, not enough to pull through.

“In the mixed doubles, pro mixed doubles, my doubles partner and I played really well. It was our first time playing together, but we got knocked out in the main draw and then back draw.

“I then went and played the women's doubles with Naphisa Smith. We lost in the bronze- medal match, but we did really well in our pool play.

“It was also our first time playing together. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it because she’s a great doubles partner.”

After a frustrating first three days, Phillips was ecstatic to finally get her first win on the board in Cayman.

“On my fourth day, I finally pulled it together and I got a win. We made it all the way to the finals, where we lost by three points in the third set.

“I was devastated, but very happy because I felt like I finally shook off. I’ve been in a little bad patch of my game, but I feel like I'm just coming out of it and gaining my confidence back, getting my shots and hitting my spots again.

“It felt really good to have a strong last day, working on a lot of new stuff and changing some stuff around.

“The competition was really high. They flew in some signed pros from the APP, which made the level higher in the pro divisions.

“Right now, I'm at the APP back at the Fort in Fort Lauderdale. That’s where the World Cup was, so I’m super happy to be here and I’m doing the women's singles.”

Smith picked up the bronze in the mixed doubles 4.0 with Cayman’s Ami Shushan.

“The level of play showed me I can compete with strong players across the world and taught me a lot about the kind of player I am,” she said.

“I also competed in 4.5 women’s doubles with Imani and 3.5 singles, placing fourth and sixth respectively. I’m motivated to push my game and represent Bermuda at an even higher level.”

Leslie Jackson and Emma Simmons were crowned champions in the senior women’s) (50 years and above) doubles 3.5. The Bermuda pair defeated Len Ibuyat and Isabella Settanni 15-12 in the final.

In the semi-final, Jackson and Simmons claimed a solid 15-4 victory over Jules Fenn and Natasha Lymbery. The Bermudians were undefeated throughout the round-robin portion of the tournament.

Jackson was delighted to play at the same tournament with Phillips, Smith and Simmons.

“It was an absolute privilege to share the court with these beautiful, strong athletic women,” she said.

“All showed outstanding sportsmanship and grace while winning and during the hard losses.

“Bermuda has a very supportive and thriving pickleball community, I’m proud to be part of it. Especially thankful for the hard work the Pickleball Association Bermuda puts into developing and running tournaments and clinics, the commitment and time is admirable.

“Headed up by George Thomas and Danny Fox, along with the board, I hold much gratitude.”

Simmons, who dominated at the National Championships, spoke of how she ended up partnering with Jackson in Cayman.

“After I played Leslie in the senior singles, she turned around and asked ‘would you like to be my partner next week in Cayman?’” she said.

“I looked at my husband Walter and we said ‘why not?’ A gruelling schedule in Cayman but I’m happy with the outcomes of four events, singles, two women’s doubles and mixed.”