Lock carries Zim’s hopes

Sports Reporter
THE second leg of the ITF South Central African Junior Circuit began yesterday with Zimbabwe’s top player Courtney Lock receiving a bye in the first round matches at Harare Sport Club. The tournament will end on Saturday and features  most of the players that participated in last week’s event. Zimbabwe will be pinning their hopes on Lock, who reached the singles semi-finals in the first leg before clinching the doubles title with his South African partner, Lloyd Harris, last Saturday.
The 16-year-old said he is looking forward to the challenge as he hopes to do better in the singles and defend his doubles title this week.

“I think last week was a good week for me, semi-finals were good and you know it’s a bit tough coming from semi-finals and then you start back from the first round, second and play from the bottom but that’s how it goes.

“So I think tomorrow ( today) I should start and try to focus, it’s always going to be tough, the first match, but I am just going to try to focus and I think the doubles boosted my confidence, it was very nice to win it,” said Lock.

The Zimbabwean said he now had a spring in his step after winning some silverware.
“We won it last year, so there was a bit of pressure on me but I am really happy I got through and it was the only Zimbabwean title.
“It was really good to win but hopefully this week I will try and do better in the singles and carry on with the doubles and try and win it again,” said Lock.

Lock will take on South Africa’s Calvin Jordaan today. In the matches played yesterday four Zimbabwean players pulled through to the second round with Ngonidzashe Makambwa beating Kobe Vandelanotte of Belgium 6-1, 6-2 while Taremeredzwa Mariga defeated Emmanuel Mabechu of Botswana 6-0, 6-1.

Muzingaye Sibanda overpowered Thomas Greef from South Africa 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and Dereck Namanya dismissed Mauritius’ Amaury De Beer in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
In the girls section, Andrea Makamba, Wendy Rudhu, Karen Machisa, Rumbidzai Ugaro, Kimberley Kaome and Latifah Yasini bowed out of the tournament after losing their matches while Nicole Dzenga, Boikoketso Hamadziripi, Zahra Finnigan, Beverly Matsiwe, Tanaka Chakanyuka, Keren Muswere and Rufaro Chirewa will play their opening matches today.