Another good day for local players

IT was another good day for local players at the ongoing International Tennis Federation Old Mutual Series at Harare Sports Club yesterday with Benjamin Lock, Takanyi Garanganga and Mehluli Sibanda progressing to the singles quarter-finals.

Top seed Benjamin posted a convincing 6-2, 6-1 win against LancePierre Du Toit of South Africa in 1hour 27minutes to ensure he progressed to the quarter-finals.

After a tight contest on Tuesday in his first round match that had to be decided in the third set, the top seed had the upper hand from the start taking most his first serve points.

“I had a good start to the match and then he played well to come back. He played well at the end of the first set.

“He played really solid and aggressive. So it was challenging and tough and then I knew if I could get a break earlier on in the second set I could run away with it and I played a good game to break.

“And then I just held serve and kept the momentum going to the end,” said Benjamin.

It was a double for him as he partnered with his brother Courtney to beat Mehluli and Muzi Sibanda 6-1, 6-1 in straight sets in the doubles quarter-finals.

However, Sibanda had earlier on overpowered Milen Ianakiev of Germany 7-5, 6-1 in his singles as he maintained the momentum from the first round. While the first set could have gone either way with both players being aggressive, Mehluli appeared more settled to take the second set 6-1.

Yesterday’s victory saw the 18-yearold reaching an ITF Futures quarter-finals for the first time and was impressed with the way he played yesterday.

“It feels good. I played a little better than I did on my first round match and today I managed to finish it in straight sets.

“So that’s a good thing always, so that I can recover and prepare for tomorrow.

“To be honest I played a little bit better today but the guy that I played my first match was also better compared to this guy I played.

Today I got my rhythm way earlier in the match.

“This is the first time I am in the quarters, it feels pretty good this was my goal to get quarters but hopefully I can get further,” said Sibanda.

Second seed Garanganga sailed through when his opponent Joseph Imeh Ubon retired from the match in the first set. Garanganga was leading 5-2. In today’s quarter-finals Garanganga faces Isaac Stoute while Benjamin plays sixth seed Aaron Schmid.

Mehluli takes on Jorge Blanco Guadalupe. In the doubles semi-finals Benjamin and Courtney are up against William Bushamuka and Tukhula Jacobs.