adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S top junior female tennis player Nicole Dzenga put up a remarkable performance at the just-ended Nairobi International Junior Championships to clinch the girls singles title in Kenya.
The tournament featured players from across the globe and Dzenga, who was the top seed, lived up to expectations as she emerged the winner when she dismissed Keren Rozen of Israel 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in the final.
Dzenga had earlier on overpowered Nelise Verster of South Africa 6-1, 6-3 in the semi-finals to book her place in the final.
The 16-year-old, who is ranked 316 on the ITF rankings, also reached the doubles semi-final when she partnered Verster but they lost to the pair of Mariana Carreira of Portugal and Georgia Lawson of Great Britain 4-6, 6-3, (10-6).
Zimbabwe had four players competing in the girls section but the trio of Rufaro Chirewa, Latifah Yasini and Zarah Finnigan were booted out of the competition in the early rounds.
Chirewa and Yasini were the first to bow out of the tournament with the former losing 1-6, 0-6 to Katarina Weymouth of Great Britain in the first round.
It was the same story for Yasini as she went down 0-6, 0-6 to Keren Rozen of Israel in the first round as well.
Finnigan began her campaign on a positive note beating Miriam Mujawimana of Burundi 6-4, 6-2 in her opening match before she was defeated by Michalina Jedrzejczak 6-3, 6-2 in the second round.
Finnigan then teamed up with Chirewa in the doubles and lost in the quarter-finals to the pair of Devanshi Bhimjiyani and Isha Budwal of India 3-6, 1-6.
Tennis coach, Linsent Chitiyo, who accompanied the players, hailed Dzenga for a good performance throughout the competition.
“Nicole displayed good determination, momentum and rhythm on court and she played her strength right from the start of this tournament.
“Rufaro Chirewa and Zarah Finnigan struggled to find their form in the singles but competed well in the doubles reaching the quarter-finals.
“Latifah Yasini struggled to find form in both the singles and doubles losing in the first round,” said Chitiyo.
Dzenga is also set to compete in the Africa Junior Championships Under-18 to be held in Casablanca, Morocco running from February 17 to 22.
Online Reporter