Wolmer’s Boys’ Azizi Johnson found redemption after his 2025 loss by winning the Open Singles at the Hubert Lawrence Memorial TT Classic held at UWI Gymnasium, Mona Bowl on Sunday evening.

 Fighting off the cramps and fatigue that blunted his challenge to New York-based Odingo Mitchell at the inaugural event, Johnson recovered from an 9-11 first-set loss to reel off three-straight and stop finalist Logan Royes, 11-9, 11-5, 12-10. The win was a step up from his “B” singles victory last year.

In a family affair on the women’s side, Gianna Lewis turned the tables on her more decorated younger sister Tsenaye, the 2023 women’s national singles champion. Though the older Lewis has shown strong form and superior shot-making in local tournaments in recent years, she often fell at the final hurdle­ – often to her sister, now a freshman at Columbia University. This time, she was also able to get past nemesis Keeara Whyte, the hard-hitting national women’s and under-19 champion. “This is only the second time I’ve beaten her in a final!” Gianna declared, beaming with joy and holding up two fingers.

The “B” Open singles saw Pembroke Hall TTC’s Rudolph Sinclair beat UWI Games team champion and national representative Chris Lyn three sets to one, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10 to claim the AnyBet Hubert Lawrence Memorial crystal trophy, dedicated to Lawrence’s memorable campaigns in the highly competitive “B” division. On the way to the finals, Sinclair stopped teammate Sean Wallace after being down two sets (9-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7), while Lyn needed five sets to get past Conroy Henry in a thriller that included three sets decided at deuce, 7-11, 12-10, 14-12, 19-17, 11-7.

The tournament was first staged with the chief support of AnyBet in 2025 in honour of Hubert Lawrence, the late athletics broadcaster/analyst and author, who was also a formidable table tennis player. One of the largest single-day tournaments in the English-speaking region, the tournament was played before packed stands and witnessed high-quality play by the sport’s emerging talents. 

Speaking about AnyBet’s support for table tennis, General Manager of Post to Post Betting Ltd., Danielle Douglas said, “AnyBet is proud to sponsor the Hubert Lawrence Memorial Table Tennis Tournament as part of our ongoing commitment to sports development, community engagement, and youth empowerment. This tournament is a fitting tribute to Hubert Lawrence, whose passion for sport and dedication to his community left a lasting impression on all who knew him. Honouring his memory through this platform is something we take great pride in. Table tennis is a sport that continues to showcase Jamaica’s competitive spirit and talent, and we hope to fuel its continued growth while reinforcing the values of discipline, teamwork, and healthy competition. This sponsorship also reflects our broader commitment to nurturing sporting excellence across disciplines while celebrating the talent, passion, and sportsmanship at the heart of this tournament, and the enduring legacy that inspires it.”