ITF Futures begin

Sports Reporter
THE International Tennis Federation Old Mutual Futures Series first round matches will roar into life at Harare Sports Club with most Zimbabwean players in action. The tournament got underway over the weekend with the qualifiers and unfortunately for Zimbabwe, the trio of Tanaka Chabata, Mark Chigaazira and Brandon Levendale, who were still fighting to earn their places into the main draw, found the going tough yesterday.

Chabata went down to South Africa’s Altus Karsten 6-6, 6-7 (6), 2-6, Levendale lost 2-6, 1-6 to Zach Itzstein of Australia.

Chigaazira lost to Tyler Hochwalt of United States 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-5.

This leaves Zimbabwe with five players in the singles main draw — Benjamin Lock, Mehluli Sibanda, Tadiwa Chinamo, Mark Fynn and Munashe Chingono.

Sibanda, who has been competing in ITF Under-18 tournaments, said he is looking forward to the tournament and begins his campaign with a doubles match where he is partnering his brother Muzi Sibanda.

They have a date against the pair of Matias Franco Descotte of Argentina and France’s Jonathan Kanar this afternoon.

“I have been playing a few ITF tournaments.

“I went to Tunisia earlier this year, I did okay, and played in Morocco recently, last month, it was tough.

“Futures event obviously its way tougher than Under-18 tournaments because we are playing guys three to five years older than us, they want to go professional and I am grateful I got a wild card into the main draw.

“Actually I like to kind of test where my level is at compared to the older guys. I am playing all three weeks. I just finished practicing now, I just tried to hit more balls and I feel good right now, I am ready,” said Sibanda, who is Zimbabwe’s top junior player.

Chinamo takes on Thomas Setodji from France while Chingono faces Nathaniel Lammons of United States in the singles matches.

Lock and Lammons will team up in the doubles against Michael Copeland and Franco Feitt later on in the day.

Lock, Sibanda and Chinamo are members of the Davis Cup squad announced last month and this serves as part of their preparations.

Zimbabwe will be chasing a quick return to the Europe/Africa Zone Group II when they travel to Cairo, Egypt for the Africa Group III tournament with 15 countries expected to battle it out for the two promotional tickets from July 17 to 22.

Tennis Zimbabwe administrator, Cliff Nhokwara said the Futures events are a platform for the players to get ready for Davis Cup.