Els, Venter win Bloem Open titles

SOUTH African top seeds Leon Els and Mariska Venter yesterday secured their first titles in Mangaung on the finals day of the Airports Company South Africa Bloem Open, an International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures event, part of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour. In a high quallity men’s final, Els beat Austria’s Nico Langmann 3-6, 7-6 (10), 6-2 at the Oud Studente Tennis Club in Bloemfontein. In the women’s singles final Venter – the former world No1junior – dethroned her doubles partner Thando Hlatshwayo 6-1, 6-2. – Reuters/ANA