MICHAEL MIYOBA
Lusaka
ZAMBIAN players endured a difficult second day at the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors J30 Lusaka tournament, with only two players recording victories from 12 matches as the battle for valuable ITF Junior World
Ranking points intensified at Lusaka Tennis Club.
The local contingent came up against strong opposition from South Africa, Zimbabwe, China, Hong Kong and other tennisplaying nations, with several Zambian players facing seeded opponents in crucial round-robin encounters.
Despite the challenging results, Kombe Mabo and Mukangwa Brooklyn Siame provided bright moments for the hosts with hard-fought victories that kept their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage alive.
Mabo demonstrated remarkable resilience in one of the day’s most dramatic matches as he recovered from a set down to defeat Hong Kong’s Dexter Yu.
After losing the opening set 5-7, Mabo responded emphatically by winning the second set 6-0 before sealing victory in a tense super tie-break 14-12.
Siame was equally impressive as she produced a composed performance to dispatch China’s Junya Wang in straight sets, winning 6-0, 6-4.
Elsewhere, Elisha Silumbwe fell 6-1, 6-2 to South Africa’s Mbali Ndlabu, while Luyando Kalebi was defeated by South African Pieter Muller.
Isabel Chisongo pushed Zimbabwe’s Chanelle Tariro Zhuwakini all the way in a fiercely contested encounter.
After losing the first set 6-2, Chisongo fought back to edge the second set 7-6 and force a deciding super tie-break, which she eventually lost 10-4.
Kabisekela Kapembwa suffered a 6-0, 6-1 defeat to Zimbabwe’s Rutendo Tom, while Mitress Nalwizya went down 6-2, 6-1 to South Africa’s Winnie Masemola.
Kayla Rayi Muim battled hard but lost 6-3, 7-5 to South Africa’s Paballo Chuene, while Yula Ulendo was beaten 6-0, 6-0 by another South African, Lea Dube.
Christabel Chisongo also came close to victory after recovering from a first-set loss to Zimbabwe’s Claire Joanna Majeye.
Chisongo lost the opening set 6-4, won the second 6-2, but was unable to maintain the momentum in the deciding super tie-break, which she lost 10-2.
Mutaba Emmanuella Kapembwa was defeated 6-1, 6-0 by Zimbabwe’s Chloe Leeli Hayes.
Despite the disappointing overall results, Tennis Association of Zambia president Lighton Musonda is optimistic that Zambia will still have representatives in the knockout rounds.
“We still have a lot of hope with the likes of Kombe Mabo.
I’m aware his next opponent is very good but as you saw his fighting spirit, there is a lot of hope that he will progress. On the girls’ side, we still believe that Mukangwa Siame will possibly make it, so we still have one day for us to know who goes to the next round from the group stage,” Musonda said.
Musonda said the tournament’s primary objective is to expose local players to international competition after a prolonged absence from the global junior tennis circuit.
He noted that many of the visiting players had more international experience, giving them a competitive advantage.
With one more day of roundrobin matches remaining, Zambia’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals now largely rest on the performances of Mabo and Siame, who have shown the determination and composure needed to challenge for places in the knockout stages.
