John Chin loses again in ATP Kingston 2 Challenge

Jamaica’s lone competitor on day two of the ATP Kingston 2 Challenge lawn tennis competition, John Chin, lost a close battle with American teenager Benjamin Willwerth 4-6, 4-6 at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston on Monday.

The 22-year-old Chin, who has a career-high world ranking of 1,005, was expected to provide Jamaica’s first victory mainly so because he was playing the 19-year-old Willwerth, with limited experience who had a career-high 1,172 world ranking achieved in 2025,but is currently ranked 1,227.

Chin, with the small home crowd behind him, started well, holding his serve then breaking Willwerth to take a 2-0 lead. But Willwerth fought back to level the set at 2-2 and again at 4-4.

Willwerth broke Chin and went up 5-4, then held his serve to take the set 6-4 in 49 minutes.

The second set was just as competitive, but the taller American, Willwerth, standing at 6 ft 3 inches, threw down five aces compared to Chin’s one and won 71 per cent of his first serve.

Willwerth won the second set 6-4 in a match where he saved eight of nine break points, which was 89 per cent, while Chin saved 57 per cent of his break points.

Chin also lost in the Kingston 1 Challenge last week, crashing 1-6, 1-6 to Australian Edward Winter.

Jamaica’s top player Blaise Bicknell will be in action on Tuesday when he faces Spain’s Marrero Curbelo starting after 5:00 pm.

Last week Bicknell lost to Australia’s Max Purcell 4-6, 6-7, 6-3.