thrilling victory over his friend and rival Jovan Whitter yesterday.

Swan's 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 triumph came in one of three contests to be decided by third-set tie-breakers on an enthralling finals day at the Tennis Stadium.

Swan and Whitter were Bermuda team-mates at the Junior Caribbean Championships in Trinidad last year, where Whitter finished third in the prestigious regional tournament.

But yesterday, it was Swan who claimed the limelight in a match which could not have been tighter.

Ashley Brooks continued her remarkable year by winning the girls 14-and-under final, 6-2, 7-5 against Morgan Lightbourne.

The 12-year-old Brooks has made a habit of winning events in the age group above her own in 2000, a year in which she has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in Bermuda tennis.

Lightbourne enjoyed some revenge, however, by teaming up with Whitter to win the mixed doubles event, defeating Brooks and Gavin Manders on the way.

In the first junior mixed doubles final to be played on the Island for around 10 years, Lightbourne and Whitter saw off Ryan Swan and Crystal Lambert 8-5.

For Lightbourne, the tournament marked a successful comeback after an absence of several events due to other commitments.

Kris Frick's domination of the boys 12-and-under category continued as he swept aside David Thomas 6-2, 6-1. Frick has been virtually unbeatable in his age group for the past two years.

And John Masters enjoyed a comprehensive victory, 6-1, 6-2, over Kyle Williams to take the boys 14-and-under title.

Caitlin Conyers survived a nailbiting girls 12-and-under final to emerge victorious against Jacqueline Lambert, by a score of 5-7, 6-4, 7-6.

And Miles Brewer also came from behind to win an equally tight boys 10-and-under final, defeating N. Herrero 4-6, 6-4, 7-6.

The girls 10-and-under title went to C. Gordon who got the better of D.

Furbert 6-4, 6-3.

Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association president David Lambert said: "The level of play this week has been excellent. Everyone is commenting on how high it is.

"All the hard work the coaches are putting in is coming to the surface now.

For us this has been the year of the juniors. There are many good young players coming through and they are training hard, they are hungry and they want results.'' The tournament, like many international junior tournaments, operated under no-add scoring, which means the point after deuce wins the game.

In the swing: Ryan Swan, pictured on his way to a nail-biting 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 victory over Jovan Whitter in the Reefs Junior Tournament Boys Open final at the Tennis Stadium yesterday.