The saying that sport is ?90 percent mental? rang true for Andrew Sharnov in the final of the Bank of Bermuda Foundation ITF World Ranking Junior Tournament.

Down a set and 2-0 in Saturday?s grand finale of the 18 & Under Boys division versus Alberton Richelieu, the American had his mental composure to thank for a stirring comeback victory 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In a matter of minutes, his St. Lucian opponent was transformed from the epitome of a classy and dazzling player with fluid, breath-taking strokes to an irate, hothead exhibiting his frustrations with a rash of wild ? and ultimately self-destructing shots ? all because of a contentious overruling by umpire Gary Weller.

Having already squandered the second set to the ice-cool Sharnov by rushing and over-hitting too many shots, the number-one seed proceeded to throw away what should have been his crowning glory at the W.E.R. Joell Tennis Stadium with a petulant display that likely turned off several of the fans which his stylish tennis gained last week.

His McEnroe-like outrage hinged on a crucial point in the fifth game of the decisive third set when ? with the set on serve 2-2 ? Weller overruled a linesman?s baseline call regarding a shot by Sharnov. The linesman called it ?out? which would have given the point and advantage to server Richelieu but Weller countered his line judge saying the ball was ?good? and therefore it became advantage Sharnov and a break point.

Richelieu, already the recipient of a code violation for racquet abuse in the second set, then saw his serve broken in the worst possible manner as no-nonsense Weller awarded an extra point to Sharnov for his rival?s stormy tirade.

There was no turning back for Richelieu who ? now down 3-2 ? carelessly swatted balls well off the court or into the net as he continued to dwell on the lost point and game. Quickly, he was staring defeat in the face at 5-2 to the quiet yet efficient Sharnov. Suddenly, the old Richelieu was back ? chasing down balls and playing with the sublime skills that spectators had savoured all week.

Alas, it was too late and, despite breaking back once and then holding serve, the dreadlocked teen succumbed with a stray backhand volley on Sharnov?s fourth match point.

?I was excited being up a set and 2-0 in the second. I thought it was all in the bag but I just couldn?t close it out,? said Richelieu of why he faltered in the second set.

As for the third-set turning point, the 17-year-old agreed that losing his temper probably cost him the title.

?I was quite disappointed (with the umpire?s call) because I had bad calls throughout the match but before I was winning but that one really cost me the match,? reflected the Caribbean player in such a soft voice it was hard to reconcile him with the crazy behaviour he had shown on court moments before.

?It was such an important point and the whole match he didn?t overrule. That was the only one he overruled which caused me to lose the break.?

A modest Sharnov was thrilled to be successful in his first-ever ITF tournament and is now looking forward to his next outing in Jamaica.

?In the first set we weren?t holding our serves but then he held his and I couldn?t hold mine. I was double-faulting way too much. In the second set, he (Richelieu) was making a lot more mistakes and that definitely helped me out,? he said, assessing the match?s ebb and flow.

?In the third set I played well. My serve and my shots were going in and after that call he definitely lost it.?

As for remaining calm throughout, the 18-year-old son of Russian immigrants noted it?s an element of his game which he focuses on as much as his shot selection.

?It?s important. I don?t like to get too mad. I try to play point by point and, if I mess up, I forget about it. I don?t hold a grudge against an umpire if there?s a bad call. I just play my match.?

The Girls 18 & Under crescendo was just as engrossing, albeit for different reasons, as Pamela Duran withstood a mighty challenge to down Carolyn McVeigh 7-5, 7-5.

In the first set, the Ecuadorean champion rushed ahead 5-2 only to see the gritty American rebound 5-5 but, with Duran surging into the lead once more 6-5, McVeigh found herself under pressure and, facing the third break point of her crucial service game, she double-faulted to lose the set.

Clearly intent of making up ground, McVeigh seized the initiative in the second set, punishing any short balls with winners down the line or cross-court. At 5-3 up and with a break in her favour, the 15-year-old appeared to have a lock on the set but the feisty Duran was far from done.

Not for the first time during the regional tournament, she mounted an amazing recovery, mixing her powerful baseline artillery with well-disguised drop shots, to win the final four game en route to a straight-sets rout.

?I?m so happy. It?s something I really wanted,? declared the 18-year-old who adds her Bermuda victory to one in Costa Rica two weekends ago.

Chuckling, the petite player stated she had no idea how she rallied from 5-3 down in the second set.

?I got to 5-5 and I was putting more balls in the court and then I won. I felt so tired, really. I put everything into the second set because I don?t know what would (have) happened if there was a third set,? she admitted, citing the physical fall-out of competing in back-to-back tournaments

?I didn?t want that. I was feeling very, very tired.

?I was playing in Costa Rica and then I had a whole day flying (to Bermuda) and then I was playing the next day. The whole week I was playing doubles and singles.

?Now tomorrow (yesterday) I?m flying to The Bahamas and I will be playing on Monday (today).?

Though sad with the result, McVeigh pointed out there were still many positives which she could take from her performance here, given her progress through the rounds. The Connecticut resident returns home to concentrate on national hard-court and clay-court tournaments.