October 2019

IC SA AND ETHIOPIA SET FOR FINAL DAY SHOW DOWN.

After both IC SA and Ethiopia comfortably won their second day matches, they will meet in tomorrows final with both teams unbeaten after two matches.

IC SA proved far too strong for the TSA Development team where only one match showed any real resistance from the Development team. In the battle between the two top girls IC SA’s Christine Kruger suffered a loss of confidence in the second set but with the pro set tie break left to decide the winner, Christine regained her composure and found her range to drop just a single point in the tie break to run out a 62 36 10 1 winner.

In the other matches the Development team was never really in contention with the hosts conceding just six games over the five matches. It has been a steep learning curve for the Development players but the more they are exposed to this level of tennis, the quicker they will learn to adapt to more competitive tournament play.

It was a similar situation when Ethiopia came up against Botswana with just one match providing some excitement and a closely fought encounter. Their second boy Yosph Gezhafe showed tremendous fighting qualities to recover from the loss of the first set 16 to come out on top in a closely fought second set which was only secured 74 in the resultant tie break, and then held his nerve to take the deciding tie break 10 7. In the other five matches, Ethiopia dropped just nine games.

So a fitting end to the event with the two strongest teams going toe to toe to decide the winner. Ethiopia will be hoping to burst the IC SA teams bubble which has proved too solid in all previous qualifying events for the right to represent the continent at the world wide finals.

A Development clinic was held during the day with children from the four local Townships taking part in both the red ball training and full court training. Ages ranged from 7 to 13 and the coaching was enhanced with the participation of the coaches of both the IC SA and TSA Development team taking a part as well some of the players,

Full results of the days play are;

Ethiopia beat Botswana by 6 matches to nil.

BOYS SINGLES

O. Gemeda beat Seabo Shakshando 64 61

Y Gezhafe beat A Bleskirk 16 76 (4) 10 7.

GIRLS SINGLES

M Adone beat L Poely 62 61

S Kasaune beat A Chongwe 60 60

BOYS DOUBLES

Ethiopia beat Botswana 60 61

GIRLS SINGLES

Ethiopia beat Botswana 60 60.