Bermuda's Junior Davis Cup team beat Haiti yesterday in the North/Central America and Caribbean pre-qualifying event of the Junior Davis Cup in Honduras.

Bermuda's team, consisting of Alex Cooper (15), Jack Keyes (13) and Neal Towlson (14) won all three matches against Haiti in extreme heat.

Saltus student Cooper beat Roberto Reinbold 6-1 7-6. Towlson's match against Fabbio Villard ended prematurely after Villard was disqualified for carelessly returning the balls to Towlson's side of the court and striking Towlson in the ear.

Warwick Academy's Towlson, who was leading 3-2 after breaking Villard's serve, needed medical assistance.

Alex Cooper and Jack Keyes won doubles against Haiti's Gregory Belice and Reinbold 6-4 6-1.

The Bermuda team are playing in the consolation round of the tournament after narrowly being edged out of the main draw earlier this week following defeats against Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.

The defeat at the hands of Barbados, the top seeds in the competition, had several positives for coach Steven Phillips, especially in Cooper's 6-2, 6-4 defeat at the hands of Jackson Kerr.

"The two players had similar styles of play, but the Barbados player was more consistent," said Phillips. "Alex played well enough that he could have taken the second set as he had many break points late in the set. I was very pleased with him as he had adapted to the heat at this stage."

Barbados' number one player Darian King played impressive tennis to defeat Neal Towlson 6-0 6-0. But Bermuda tasted victory in the doubles with Millfield School student Jack Keyes and Cooper beating Kerr and King 3-6 6-1 6-2.

"Jack played the best doubles match I have seen in years as he didn't miss a return and played out of his skin in his first Davis Cup match. He and Alex listened very well to what I wanted and played some brilliant tennis," said Phillips.

In the defeat to Trinidad the heat was just as much a factor as the ability of the opposition, with temperatures rising to 96 degrees.

Cooper lost 6-4, 6-4 against Luke de Caires. "Heat played a big part in Alex not playing his best tennis as errors were the downfall of his match," said Phillips. "Neal stepped up against their number one player Javier Lewis and played some superb tennis winning 6-0, 6-0."

In the doubles, Cooper and Towlson lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

It is the first time that Honduras have hosted the 16 and under pre-qualifying Davis Cup event. The winning boys' and girls' team of this event will join Canada, Mexico and USA in the final qualifying event for North/Central America and Caribbean tournament, to be held from May 2-4 in Montreal, Canada.