Zimbabwe tennis high-flying brothers, Benjamin and Courtney Lock, failed to make it two titles in as many weeks after they lost in straights sets to top seeds Hugo NYS and Andrea Vavassori in the ITF F1 Futures tournament doubles final and Harare Sports Club yesterday.
By Munyaradzi Madzokere
Fresh from their maiden ITF professional circuit win in Mozambique last week, Benjamin and Courtney lost 6-3 6-3 to the doubles pair of NYS and Vavassori from France and Italy respectively in front of a cheering home crowd.
The pair, an integral part of the Zimbabwe Davis Cup team had hit top form in perfect time with country pencilled to take on Georgia in the Euro/Africa Group II relegation playoff next month, but endured a bad day in office yesterday.
“Benjy played pretty well I didn’t play my best. They played really high level tennis and we didn’t play our best so it went their way, that’s tennis for you. We’ve had a good run, we have won seven matches in a row beginning in Mozambique and coming here making the final. You can’t win everything there is going to be disappointment like this but I think it’s been a good week,” 19-year-old Courtney said after the match.
Earlier in the day Benjamin (23) seeded eighth powered into the singles final following a dominant 6-4 6-3 win over number three seed NYC to book a date with Australian fourth seed Marc Polmans in the decider to be played at the same venue today.
Polmans beat United States of America’s Michael Grant 7-6 6-3 to progress to the final.
Benjamin, the older sibling will be looking to add to his solitary professional singles title which he won in Mozambique in 2015, when he takes on Polmans.
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“I am feeling great I have played a final before in Mozambique but I always wanted to play at home. I love to play on these courts especially with the home crowd cheering. I feel really comfortable and I have played a lot of Davis Cup matches here too and I’m good form right now,” Benjamin said.
He has had a great start to career his professional career since completed his four collegiate tennis tenure with Florida State University last month, having already won one title and playing three finals.
Another ITF Futures tournament begins on Monday.
