Giant killer of the Island Construction Open, Jovan Whitter, almost claimed another victim in Saturday's final but a last-ditch, resilient effort by Jenson Bascome denied the teenager his first senior crown.

Down 2-4 in the third and decisive set of the Men's A singles championship at Pomander Gate Tennis Club, Bascome - defending the title - showed sterling courage and determination to reel off the next four games and prevail 6-0, 2-6, 6-4 in just over 90 minutes.

In so doing, not only did he emulate his feat of last year (previously the Colonial Open) but he also halted Whitter's amazing run against top seeds. The 18-year-old took out the Island's number one player James Collieson in the quarter-finals before withstanding seven match points against the tournament's number three seed and Heineken Open winner, Andy Bray, in an epic semi-final.

The rising talent almost made it a hat-trick when Bascome's game fell apart in the second set and continued to deteriorate early in the third set. However, it was not to be.

Bascome acknowledged he "swayed away from the game plan" in the second set and it proved to his detriment.

"I tried to hit the ball harder and that wasn't the game for today. It's too hot out there and I started making a lot of errors. My first-serve percentage dropped and he took full advantage. He picked up his game a lot.

"Then in the third set I went back to the game plan and fortunately I got it together just in time and it worked out.

"I think being in these situations a little more than him helped me. Mentally, I stuck in there," said the jubilant 23-year-old.

Though clearly dejected at being unable to finish the job, Whitter took pride in his progress in the tournament, crediting the improvements in his game to the past year which he spent at Dennis Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in South Carolina, USA.

"I think I played very well throughout the tournament. I have improved greatly thanks to tennis school. You don't see it when you're up there but when you come home you definitely see the progress you've made," said the youngest member of Bermuda's Davis Cup team.

Still, there are some things all the practising in the world cannot solve. In Whitter's case it was nerves.

"I had tough first sets in every match. Throughout the tournament I started out very slow. I was very nervous - especially today with it being my first Men's A singles final and against Jenson who I've never beaten.

"In the first set I literally had trouble breathing because I was so nervous. I guess that explains why I was so erratic. In the second set, Jenson gave me a few points and it got the nerves out and once I wasn't as nervous I played much better."

Anyone watching this encounter and having an eye for astrology would have found it ironic that it played out in June as both finalists seemed to succumb to the Gemini curse of split personalities - at least on court.

In the first set, while Bascome was composed, clinical and dominated 90 percent of the points, Whitter looked like a novice, squandering opportunities at will and amassing a mountain of unforced errors.

His frustrated commentary to himself - "What's wrong with you, Jovan?" and "Oh no, have mercy on my soul" to quote a few - reinforced his tension and anger as his opponent wrapped up the set 6-0 in quick time.

Just when it appeared WhitJust when it appeared Whitter would be soundly thrashed, however, the tide began turning. In the first game of the second set, he broke Bascome and though the compliment was returned in the very next game there was a hint that the young gun was not finished yet - and he wasn't.

He broke Bascome again and then held serve for a 3-1 lead and while Bascome then made it 3-2, a combination of power, strong baseline shots and aggression at the net earned Whitter the next three games and the set 6-2.

The beginning of the third set was not good for the struggling Bascome as Whitter again broke his service in the first game with a deft overhead lob. Soon, Whitter was up 4-2 and, with Bascome barely gaining a point or two off his rival's serve, it seemed the title was slipping from the reigning champion's grasp.

Yet again, the plot would shift though as Bascome lifted himself to hold serve in the seventh game and break Whitter - on his second opportunity - in the eighth game.

Now, they were back on even terms 4-4 and the force of a rejuvenated and focused Bascome was too much for the inexperienced youngster and the latter began to crumble. Bascome won his next service game with an ace and took the match on the first of three break chances against Whitter's serve as the southpaw volleyed into the net.

"It feels good. It's my first time defending the title here and I'm pretty happy with my performance.

"Jovan has definitely improved while he's been away. I had a plan when I came out and I stuck to it in the first set. I was just keeping the ball in play, attacking his backhand and coming to the net when I had the opportunity.

"I think Jovan was a little sporadic in the first set. He was hitting a lot of balls out and making a lot of unforced errors. That helped me.

"In the second set I don't know where I was. I made so many errors and I'm saying `Why am I hitting these shots?' but towards the end of the third (set) just I focused hard and came through," said Bascome.

Asked if he lost heart when Bascome broke back in the eighth game of the decisive set, Whitter said: "I wouldn't call it losing heart. I think he just grabbed some momentum - I was still putting in 100 percent effort - but he did a good job to keep up the momentum."

Still, buoyed by his overall showing in the tournament, he is already plotting for revenge in the Argus Open in a fortnight.

Zarah DeSilva also swept to her second successive Ladies' A singles triumph but, in stark contrast to Bascome's battle, she easily turned back young Ashley Brooks' challenge 6-4, 6-1.

"Ashley played well, the only difference (between us) was that I took control of the points that I needed to. When she made mistakes it was the big points and when I made winners it was the big points again. So I was able to pull out the victory," said 19-year-old DeSilva.

"I had a little bit of nerves in the final but I've been playing good tennis all week. This is the best tennis I have played in my life and I'm really happy."

Brooks, 15, admitted she did not produce her "best tennis" and hoped to give a better account of herself next time she is across the net from DeSilva whom she only ever beat once.