IT IS CRITICAL FOR TENNIS JAMAICA TO MEND FENCES WITH DUSTIN BROWN

German-born Jamaican tennis player Dustin Brown on Sunday became the first-ever Jamaican to to with an ATP Tennis Tournament. He partnered with Dutchman Rogier Wassen to win the doubles title at the Open de Mosselle in Metz, France.

You might remember that Brown – just a few weeks ago – made his mark on the singles circuit when he became the first Jamaican to make it to the second round of the US Open before he was ousted by one of the top seeds, Britain’s Andy Murray.

Brown has been at odds with Tennis Jamaica for a while now. To make a long story short, he doesn’t like the way they do things and even suggested that he would only consider burying the hatchet if the organisation fires Tennis Director Douglas Burke.

That is not about to happen so Brown has been considering representing Great Britain and cutting all ties to Jamaica. All is not yet lost as newly elected president of Tennis Jamaica Aubyn Hill has and is reaching out to Brown and his mother/manager to explore possible ways to mend the deep divide that exists within the organisation and who is Jamaica’s most successful player to date.

But why should we care whether Brown takes his considerable, unique but still not fully developed tennis skills elsewhere?

Here’s why. Jamaicans are already blessed with athletic skill but not everyone is going to become the fastest man or woman in the world, Theodore Whitmore, John Barnes, or Allan ‘Skill’ Cole or Veronica Campbell Brown or Melaine Walker.  As it is with other sports that Jamaicans pursue, tennis needs a  hero; someone who can lead the way, opening doors for kids who believe that they could have a future in the sport.

Just like how the success of athletes like Usain Bolt and Shelly Ann Fraser and Veronica Campell Brown, has inspired many kids to embark on what they hope to be successful careers in track and field, young tennis players need someone to look to for that inspiration.

Since Bolt’s success in Beijing coaches island-wide have reported significant increases in the number of students who have turned out to represent their school teams at Champs. If Brown continues to do well, he will no doubt inspire local kids to want to go far in tennis. But as long as the relationship between Tennis Jamaica and Brown remains hostile, there is nothing to be gained.

Brown needs to be convinced that things are changing. He needs to be convinced that his story could be one that would serves as the template of sorts for others to follow. As Tennis Jamaica embarks on its programme to introduce and re-introduce tennis in schools across the island, many kids who have not been exposed to what one can achieve by pursuing a professional career in the sport, will quickly lose interest.

However, meeting someone like Brown, who alongside his athletic skills also possesses an infectious personality, could be all a child needs to find his own inner fire and chart a path to success. Of course, Tennis Jamaica would have to play some part in making that possible.

But none of this happens unless Brown is brought on board and is convinced that he can be an integral part of the change in Tennis Jamaica he so desperately craves.

Dustin Brown can make a difference but he must be first convinced to remain Jamaican