adminNkosilathi Sibanda
ZIMBABWE’S Valeria Bhunu is the country’s only gold medal hopeful in the ongoing African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games girls’ tennis singles. Top seed Ronzai Saurombe fell in the semis at Bulawayo Athletics Club yesterday. Other Zimbabwean players, Rufaro Chirewa and Tameredzwa Mariga also bowed out of their singles contests.
Bhunu stands closer to add the top medal in the hosts cabinet, although having had it tough to complete her semi-final clash against South African Caitlin Herb whom she beat 6-1, 6-1.
Third seed Chirewa fell to South African Poluta Kate 6-3, 6-2. Had Chirewa beaten Kate, the girls’ final would have been an all-Zimbabwean affair. Bhunu’s match against Herb lasted a good 30 minutes and she admitted struggling with serves.
The 19-year-old faces another South African, Kate, in the final this morning in what is expected to be a tense match.
Bhunu has played in the South African circuit before and knows well how good they can be on hard court.
She said: “The semi-final was a hard one. I struggled with the serves and my arm was not responding when I needed to pull in the hard shots. I’m looking forward to the next game.”
The trio of Saurombe, Chirewa and Mariga was expected to return to the court for the doubles and the mixed doubles clash late yesterday.
Semi-final results
Girls: V Bhunu (Zim) beat C Herb (RSA) 6-1, 6-1; P Kate (SA) beat R Chirewa (Zim) 6-3, 6-2
Boys: C Lumeta (Mal) beat R Saurombe (Zim) 6-3,4-6, 7-5; F Kellerman (SA) beat K Motlojoa 6-0, 6-1
Online Reporter