admin
Ellina Mhlanga, Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE’S tie against Uruguay in the Davis Cup World Group II Play-offs goes into the second extra day today at Harare Sports Club as the second reverse singles and decider for the winner could not be completed yesterday because of rain.
The tie took off on Friday and was supposed to conclude on Saturday with the doubles and reverse singles. However, the tie will now stretch into the fourth day.
The two teams are tied 2-2 after four matches and this last match between Courtney Lock and Uruguay’s Ignacio Carou, which is expected to determine the winner, could not be completed again yesterday due to bad weather conditions.
The match was first disrupted on Saturday with Ignacio one set up after taking the first set 6-3. Both players had won a game each in the second set before play was called off.
It was scheduled to continue yesterday at 11am but there was a two-hour delay due to the rains. When it resumed at 1pm, Lock put up a good fight to claim the second set 6-3 and push the match into the third set.
But the heavens opened up again and play was eventually called off. Both players had won a game apiece in the third set.
Zimbabwe captain Takanyi Garanganga remained positive.
“Of course rain delays are not always easy. I think at the beginning it was threatening to rain, we were down a set, we managed to sort of stay in the match…and then it started raining.
“I think what also happens when you play matches you might have a strategy in the beginning on paper but when you get into a match, even if you know what to do you still have to kind of get used to how the guy’s ball is actually coming, it’s not theoretical.
“So that has now given us time to kind of really go on honing what we need to do because he has the feel of the match, he knows where he is getting a hit, he knows where he is winning points…so that’s the good part about playing and stopping.
“But at the same time, when you have the momentum you want to keep playing. So the frustrations are there but there are also some positives. The negative is when you have momentum you would like to finish the match,” said Garanganga.
His counterpart from Uruguay, Enrique Perez-Cassarino, said it was unfortunate they could not finish the tie yesterday but they have to be ready for today.
“It’s bad for everyone, for the people who are working at the event, for both teams, for the fans, for everyone. But it happens, it’s not the first time in my case that I have a situation like that.
“Unfortunately, today (yesterday) we didn’t have the chance to finish the match. And so we have to be ready one more time for tomorrow.”
The two teams ended the opening day tied 1-1.
On the second day, on Saturday, Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Lock and Courtney Lock lost the doubles 2-6, 4-6, to Uruguay’s pair of Martin Cuevas and Ariel Behar, allowing the visitors to take a 2-1 lead.
However, Benjamin Lock levelled the score when he overcame Martin Cuevas 6-4, 6-4 in the first reverse singles to keep Zimbabwe on course.
Courtney Lock is now carrying Zimbabwe’s hopes in this decisive match.
Online Reporter