CARA Black’s campaign at the French Open might have come to an end with defeats in both the women’s and the mixed doubles on Wednesday, but Zimbabwe’s most successful female tennis player showed that she is still a competitive force on the world circuit.
REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
At 34, Black remains one of the most consistent female doubles players in the world, almost 15 years since turning professional in 1998. Competing in only her second Grand Slam tournament since making a comeback in January, Black managed to reach the quarter-finals in the women’s doubles and the semis in the mixed doubles.
In the women’s doubles Black and her partner Marina Erakovic of New Zealand lost to Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic. The winning score, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, was clear evidence of how close unseeded Erakovic and Black had come to upsetting the second-seeded team.
With a seasoned partner, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan, Black was also a formidable presence in the mixed doubles at Roland Garros. She lost in the semifinals, 7-5, 6-4, to Daniel Nestor of Canada, and Kristina Mladenovic of France who were the fifth seeds.
“It’s been a tough day at the office,” Black told the media after the two defeats in one day denied her a potential double.
Of her experience at Roland Garros, she said: “It’s been great, quarterfinals in the doubles and semis in the mixed. For my second Slam back in a while, it’s not a bad effort. I’m pleased, but you always want to do more.”
The performance in France came hard on the heels of other impressive performances on the WTA Tour.
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Black reached the women’s doubles finals at the Madrid Open in Spain and the Strasbourg International in Germany, a clear sign that she still has a lot to offer to the game.
