Zimpapers Logo

TINOTENDA CHANAKIRA

Tafadzwa Nyakudanga Sports Reporter
TINOTENDA Chanakira made a good start in the ITF NetOne tournament by knocking out fellow countryman Martin Dzuwa yesterday. Chanakira won the match in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the next round at the Harare Sports Club.
“It was a great match and Martin was playing good tennis. It was good to knock him out because he is my Davis Cup coach,” said Chanakira.

“I got two days of practice and will be ready to face whoever I am drawn to play against. I need to work on my serves because I know I can serve better.

“I have made a step further because in the last tournament I got knocked out in the first round so I will take it match by match.”

Dzuwa conceded defeat.

“It was a very cautious match and I let myself down but it is tennis and there must be a winner at the end of the day” said Dzuwa.

Chanakira will know the player he will face today when Ruan Roelofse from South Africa faces Michael Grant from the United States.

“I am not scared of anyone but I will prefer Grant to Roelofse because Roelofse was in the final last week and I have played him before, he is really good.” said Chanakira.

In other matches, there were victories for the South African trio of third seed Tucker Vorster, Lloyd Segal and Nicolaas Scholtz while Kris Van Wyk was knocked out by Gregoire Barrere of France.

In the doubles, the duo of Martin Dzuwa and Johannes Myburgh from South Africa lost to Mark Fynn of Zimbabwe and Matt Seeberger of the USA in straight sets 3-6, 2-6.

The doubles winners at the ITF Twenty Third Century Systems, Boy Westerhof and Antal Van Der Duim, cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 victory against Miracle Matanga and Tinashe Chikanda.

Other Zimbabweans in contention are Mark Fynn and Chikanda who will be in action today.