Following their dramatic fall from the upper echelons of the Davis Cup, Zimbabwe’s team has made a promising start in their campaign in the Europe-Africa Zone Group III.
Zimbabwe is being represented by Takanyi Garanganga, Mark Fynn and teenage sensation Benjamin Lock, while the non-playing captain is Mutare-based coach Freeman Nyamunokora.
The Zimbabwe team won their first two Pool B match against Ivory Coast and Kenya at the tournament currently underway at the Smash Tennis Academy in Cairo, Egypt.
On Monday, Fynn won the first match against Ivory Coast’s Valentin Sanon 7-5, 6-0 before Garanganga lost the second tie 5-7, 6-4.
This left Zimbabwe needing to win the doubles decider to secure the tie and Fynn and Garanganga teamed up to beat Nugent and Sanon 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 to win the series 2-1.
In the second match against Kenya, Zimbabwe emphatically won 3-0, with 18-year-old Lock brushing aside the challenge of Gilbert Kibet 6-1, 6-1 in straight sets.
Garanganga further increased Zimbabwe’s lead after getting his first victory of the tournament with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Thuku Mwangi, before Lock and Fynn combined in the doubles to dismiss the Kenyan pair of Denis Ochieng and Ismael Ruwa 6-0, 6-1.
Zimbabwe were scheduled to meet Ghana later yesterday before concluding the round robin phase with a date against Algeria before the play-offs on Saturday.
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Zimbabwe would be aiming at finishing top of their group so that they avoid Egypt who are likely to finish top of Pool A, which besides the North Africans, has Madagascar, Nigeria, Benin and Rwanda
If Zimbabwe goes all the way they will be promoted to Europe-Africa Zone Group II for 2012.
