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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S number two player Benjamin Lock sailed through to the second round of the ongoing International Tennis Federation Old Mutual Futures Series when he beat Timothy Dollman from South Africa at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Lock, seeded second, dismissed Dollman 6-4, 6-3. The Zimbabwean player had on Tuesday teamed up with United States’ Nathaniel Lammons to beat the pair of Michael Copeland and Franco Feitt 7-6(1), 6-4 in the doubles to proceed to today’s quarter-finals.
“Obviously, last year I won this tournament, the first one and I would like to do the same. In every tournament I enter I try to win it, so that’s my goal to win all three. “But you can’t think like that, you just have to take it one match at a time and I think I am playing really well right now, so I have good chances,” Lock said.
He takes on Lleyton Cronje this morning before he teams up with Lammons against the pair of Tyler Hochwalt and Warren Kuhn in the doubles quarter-finals.
While Lock remained on course, Mehluli Sibanda suffered a first round defeat against fourth seed Thales Turini of Brazil. Sibanda lost 6-4, 5-7, 1-6, taking the first set, but could not maintain the momentum. Mark Fynn also lost to fifth seed Jonathan Kanar of France 5-7, 4-6. But he is back on the court today for the doubles with his partner Nicolaas Scholtz from South Africa for a date against Thomas Setodji and Cesar Testoni.
Despite losing yesterday’s singles, he is hopeful of a good result in the doubles. “Obviously, yesterday’s (Tuesday) was a better result than today’s. But even today, although the results didn’t go my way, I felt probably better on court and I feel each day it’s getting better and better.
“There are three tournaments here in three weeks, so it’s long way to go still. Obviously two more tournaments plus I still have doubles in this one, so hopefully I can keep going for quite a while in this tournament,’’ said Fynn.
The tournament which runs until Sunday continues today.
Online Reporter