adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE curtain came down on the New Winners tennis tournament with top seed Mark Chigaazira expectedly emerging the winner in the boys Under-18 at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Chigaazira beat Muzi Sibanda 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 to claim his first title of the year in a well contested match.
A runner-up for the Under-16 title last year, Chigaazira took the first set before going down in the second.
The top seed, however, proved to be the better player of the day when he claimed the third set to win the match.
Chigaazira expressed excitement for winning the title in his first appearance in the Under-18 this year.
“I think it was quite okay as the first tournament of the year, I have had a great start in one of the biggest tournaments. The matches were challenging and the weather was okay. I think when the next tournament comes it will be greater.
“I am happy I made it here I have been really working hard. Actually I really enjoyed the competition, it was very great and I think I deserved it. Last year I played Under-16, I was runner-up and moving to Under-18 was something tough,” said Chigaazira.
In the girls’ section Karen Machisa upset top seed Zahra Finnigan to walk away with the title. Machisa overpowered Finnigan, who came into this event as firm favourite to win and looked on course to achieving success when she took the first set 6-3.
But Machisa fought tenaciously to eventually walk out a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 winner.
Machisa attributed her success to hard work and said the fact that she knew her opponent was an advantage during yesterday’s match.
“It was a tough match and I really tried.
I played my best and I think she (Finnigan) really tried but then this time I just won.
“I had practised, when I played her before I saw her weaknesses so I was working on that and it helped me to win,” said Machisa.
In the boys’ Under-14, Ethan Sibanda barely broke sweat when crashing Austin Chipare 6-0, 6-0 to be crowned champion while Natalia Antakowiak beat Thabisile Dube 1-6, 6-1, 6-0 in the girls section.
Shingi Manyonga emerged the winner in the boys Under-12 when he dismissed James Makaranga 6-2, 6-0.
The girls’ title went to Nicole Matukutire, who defeated Tadiwa Nduku 6-2, 6-1 in yesterday’s final.
The tournament was initially set to end today but due to a low turnout as players hesitated to enter because of the incessant rains that were pounding Harare last week the organisers decided to conclude the event yesterday.
Tennis Zimbabwe administrator Cliff Nhokwara said most of the matches were completed in the first two days of the competition that started on Tuesday. “Because of the weather, the first day we pushed more matches fearing the weather might end up disturbing but the weather has been okay. Our numbers could have been better but people were not sure the tournament will take off because of the rains.
“We were also affected by a number of no shows, we had players entering but not coming some parents and kids are still on holiday. People are preparing to go back to school and are prioritising school,” Nhokwara said.
Online Reporter