Above: the National Tennis Centre in Flushing Meadows, Queens (Photo: USTA)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haitian-American Victoria Duval recently won the singles title at the USTA Girls’ 18s National Championships, giving her a wild-card entry to the upcoming US Open in Flushing Meadows, New York.

It is the latest in a string of strong sporting performances for Haiti on the world stage this summer, highlighted by Samyr Laine’s triple jumping in the Olympic final in London.

Duval’s father, Jean-Maurice Duval, a doctor in Port-au-Prince, was injured in the earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

According to the United States Tennis Association, members at the USTA Certified Regional Training Centre in Atlanta helped rescue Jean-Maurice, who was seriously hurt during the quake.

Victoria has already received praise from Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, who issued a statement Tuesday expressing his congratulations to Duval for her accomplishment.

Victoria, 16, was born in Miami but spent much of her childhood in Haiti, including time training at the JOTAC Tennis Academy in Port-au-Prince.

She lived in Haiti until the age of eight.

Lamothe wished Duval “the greatest success in this noble venture.”

The US Open begins on Monday.