By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian tennis standout Sydney Clarke continues to build momentum on her professional journey after competing in the EV Motors Doubles Tournament over the weekend at the John McEnroe Tennis Centre at Baha Mar.

The 23-year-old, who recently helped lead the Bahamas to an undefeated run in El Salvador at the Billie Jean King Cup, earned promotion to Group ll of the Americas Zone said the experience has fueled her drive to keep improving as she transitions fully onto the professional circuit. 

Clarke has begun competing regularly on the ITF Pro Circuit, marking her debut on the tour as she works toward qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. “It’s been incredible, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs but it has been really tough especially with breaking in on the pro circuit and so I’m just really grateful for where I’m at right now and it’s only going to go up from here but I think that winning Billie Jean King was definitely a confidence booster and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where the rest of the year goes,” she said. 

Closer to home, Clarke is also setting her sights on reclaiming her title at the Giorgio Baldacci National Tennis Tournament in December, which serves as a key qualifier for the national team. “I’m hoping to reclaim my title at the Giorgio Baldacci Nationals so I can qualify for the team again next year,” she said.

As she continues to progress through the early stages of her professional career, Clarke is also seeking additional sponsorships to help support her as she represents the Bahamas en route to qualifying for the Olympics. 

“It’s going to be a challenge but I’m up for it, definitely trying to lock in more sponsorships especially when trying to play more on the tour and making my presence felt and I’m slowly getting there and I’m hoping that with the previoustwi tournaments and once I do get my foot in the door I know that I’m going to be unstoppable,” said Clarke. 

Clark’s commitment and steady process have made her one of the brightest young talents in Bahamian tennis and she is determined to keep moving forward.