Zim beat Kenya

their good run as they seek to finish in the top two to get the promotion.

In the matches played yesterday, Zimbabwe’s players got off to a flying start with Spain-based Tinotenda Chanakira dismissing Ibrahim Yego in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 in the first round while Mark Fynn beat Mohammed Khan 6-2, 6-3 in the second round of the singles matches in pool B.

Martin Dzuwa, who is the playing captain, then partnered Takanyi Garanganga for the doubles match to beat Kevin Langat and Yego 6-4, 6-4.
Garanganga is the top player in the Zimbabwe team and is ranked 446 in the world.

The tournament, which ends on Saturday, was initially set to feature 15 countries, but Cote d’Ivoire and Lesotho withdrew from the event leaving 13 countries to battle it out for the two slots available in the Europe/Africa Zone II. The 13 countries were grouped into four pools with pool A made up of top seeds Morocco, Algeria and Cameroon while pool C consists of Namibia, Rwanda and Madagascar. Egypt, Zambia, Nigeria and Botswana make up Pool D.

Morocco beat Algeria 3-0 in their pool with Hicham Khaddari defeating Mohamed Hassan 6-0, 6-2 while Mehdi Ziadi beat Mohamed Kerroum 6-1, 6-2 in the singles matches. The pair of Yessine Idmbarek and Younes Rachidi defeated Mohamed Makhlouf 6-1, 6-1 to seal victory for their team.

In pool C Namibia prevailed over Rwanda with a 3-0 victory after Jocobus Serdyn beat Dieu-Donne Habiyambere 6-3, 6-3 and Tuki Jacobs went on to dismiss Jean-Claude Gasigwa 6-1, 6-3. Jacobs and Serdyn got the better of Gasigwa and Habiyambere rallying from a set down to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.

Egypt also had a good day on the court after beating Zambia in pool D when Karim-Mohamed Maamoun beat Nkumbu Chonya 6-0, 6-2 and Mohamed Safwat prevailed over Edgar Kazembe 6-3, 6-1. The pair of Karim Hossam and Sherif Sabry outclassed Henry Banda and Kombe Mabo 6-0, 6-0 while Nigeria beat Botswana 2-1 in the same group.

Nigeria’s Clifford Enosorebge outclassed Shingirai Muzondiwa 6-2, 6-0 in the first round before Botswana levelled the score when Phenyo Matong beat Henry Atseye 4-6, 6-2, 4-6.

However, Nigeria sealed the tie after winning the doubles in which the pair of Abdul-Mumin Babalola and Lawal Shehu dismissed in straight sets, the duo of Matong and Muzondiwa 6-3, 6-3. The matches are being played on a round robin and the winners of pool A will play winners of pool C while the top team in pool B takes on the pool D top dogs in the semi-finals.