Lock finds going tough in SA
TOP Zimbabwe tennis player, Benjamin Lock, wrapped up a disappointing outing in South Africa where he stumbled in two ITF tournaments.
The 28-year-old fell short in defence of his SA Spring Open, at the weekend, after losing to Greek player, Michail Pervolarakis, in the semi-finals.
He had also taken part in the Jozi Open at Marks Park Sports Club in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, two weeks ago, and met with limited success, in both singles and doubles categories.
The Zimbabwean player started off the 2021 edition of the SA Spring Open, as the defending champion, and laid the foundation with three straight wins.
He beat Sahar Simon of Israel in the opening match, before accounting for Swedish Kelsey Stevenson, in the Round of 16.
Lock, who was seeded second going into the tournament, proceeded into the last four, courtesy of a 7-6, 7-5 win over USA’s Kyle Seelig, in the quarter-finals.
But, he had to deal with a different kettle of fish in the semi-finals, against Greek player, Pervolarakis, at the weekend.
Lock, who won the inaugural edition of the SA Spring Open in 2019, was outplayed by the fourth seeded Greek tennis player, who walked away with a deserved 6-4, 7-6 victory. The US$25 000 event, which falls under the ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour calendar, was eventually won by Alistair Gray, of Britain, on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Brit recovered from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 over Pervolarakis at Ellis Park Tennis Courts, in Johannesburg, on Sunday.
The tournament was not held last year because of Covid-19.
Another Zimbabwean at this year’s edition, Mehluli Sibanda, was unable to go beyond the first round, after crashing to a 1-6, 5-7 defeat to Brazilian eighth seed, Igor Marcondes.
Ethan Sibanda also could not make the main draw after a 1-6, 0-6 loss in the preliminary rounds.
Lock, Mehluli and Ethan Sibanda are members of the Zimbabwe Davis Cup team, which is expected to play Tunisia, in a World Group II Knock-Outs match, scheduled for November, in the North African country.
According to the Davis Cup website, knock-outs have been added to the schedule this year, in order to facilitate the transition from 18 teams at the Davis Cup finals in 2021, to 16 teams, from 2022, onwards.
The players that have been doing duty for Zimbabwe, of late, include Benjamin Lock, Takanyi Garanganga, Courtney Lock, Mehluli Sibanda, and developmental player Ethan Sibanda, with Gwinyai Tongoona as the captain.