adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
COURTNEY Lock’s bid for the singles title in the ongoing South Central African Junior Circuit second leg was cut short yesterday when he lost to Calvin Jordaan of South Africa at Harare Sports Club. Lock, seeded fourth in the tournament, had a bye on Monday and went down 6-3, 6-7(5), 4-6 to unseeded Jordaan in a tightly-contested match as the latter pulled off the upset of the day.
The 16-year-old was the only player from Zimbabwe to reach the semi-finals in the first leg of the circuit played last week at the same venue.
He then won the doubles title with his South African partner, Lloyd Harris.
He was hoping to do even better, in the singles, this time around but his hopes were blown away yesterday and will now be hoping to defend the doubles title.
Lock conceded defeat and said he is looking forward to retaining his doubles title.
“I got really unlucky on the match points and he got really lucky on a lot other points and he played very well today, so I just got to accept that I lost and it happens in life.
“I can’t complain about it.
“I can always look back, I won a lot of good matches last week, so to lose this it’s tough luck but I just have to move on and try to go for the doubles and try to prove myself in the doubles.
“I feel very comfortable in doubles. I think we are doing really well, so I expect the best and I expect us to go all the way,” said Lock.
It was the same story for the quartet of Dereck Namanya, Ngoni Makambwa, Taremeredzwa Mariga and Muzingaye Sibanda who pulled through in the first round on Monday as they also lost their matches yesterday.
Namanya lost to Lebelo Mosehle of Lesotho 1-6, 2-6 while Makambwa went down to Kris Van Wyk 2-6, 1-6.
Aziz Dougaz of Tunisia beat Mariga 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 and Aryan Goveas from India dismissed Muzingaye Sibanda 6-1, 6-3.
While all the boys were eliminated from the competition, three girls pulled through to the next round with Nicole Dzenga dismissing Kundai Manyonga 6-0, 6-0 to book her place in today’s matches.
Manyonga came in to replace South Africa’s Rouxanne Van Rensburg who pulled out of the tournament.
Dzenga was joined by Beverly Matsiwe who outclassed South Africa’s Tyra Timm 6-0, 6-0 and Keren Muswere overpowered Amelie Boy from Mauritius 1-6, 6-1, 6-1
Dzenga was happy with her performance and said she was confident going into today’s tie.
“Today my match was good, I was a bit caught off guard because I was supposed to play South African girl and then she got sick, so they fielded another girl but it was a good match.
“I was happy to play whichever player and just hoping tomorrow (today), when it’s a tougher match, I can pull through.
“I don’t really care about the pressure, I just always want to play well and do well for the country and I also know the other two girls have good chances of getting through as well but it will be good if we can all just do well tomorrow,” said Dzenga.
Rufaro Chirewa, Boikoketso Hamadziripi and Tanaka Chakanyuka bowed out of the tournament after losing their matches.
Online Reporter