Innocent Mhere won the Under-18 tennis title at the Zimbabwe Closed Championship after a crushing victory over Takudzwa Muswere in a one sided match at Harare Sports Club on Monday.
The Mutare-based 18 year-old was in sizzling form on his way to a crushing 6-0, 6-0 win over Muswere.
It was sweet revenge for Mhere, who lost in the final of the New Winners tournament to the same opponent in January, but he admitted after the match that he didn’t expect to win so easily.
“It was a great feeling to win the final but I didn’t expect the match to be as one-sided as it ended up being. I had worked hard for it and I feel I need to work on other aspects of my game ahead of future tournaments,” said Mhere.
In the girls Under-18 category it was another win for Mutare-based player after Pauline Chawafambira emerged the winner after the round robin phase which included five other players.
Lorraine Mandingwa thrashed Thandiwe Maglisi 6-1, 6-0 to win the girls’ Under-16 title after a ruthless display from the earlier rounds where she had dispatched Mutsa Majiri and Wendy Rudhu.
Top seed in the boys’ Under-14 Alywin Mushonga recovered from a nervy first set to dismiss Tadiwa Chinamo 7-5, 6-0, while Karen Muswere won the girls’ category after a 6-1, 6-2 win over Tariro Dembo.
In the final of the boys’ Under-12 category Mehluli Sibanda dismissed Richard Ngwari with a straight sets 6-2, 6-2 win, while Tanyaradzwa Magunje beat Beverly Matsiwe 6-1, 6-1 to lift the girls’ Under-12 title.
