Furrows dominates Rootman to clinch men’s Amex title in Benoni

Second seed Shane Furrows crushed top seed Heinrich Rootman in straight sets to win the Ekurhuleni Amex Super Eight men’s singles title at the Gauteng East Tennis Association (GETA) complex on July 17.

Furrows dominated both the long and short rallies, successfully containing Rootman’s aggression to secure a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Rootman started with high energy and had several chances to take the first set, but he was inconsistent. While it wasn’t an easy win, Furrows praised his opponent for making him work.

“I played well. Heinrich is very solid. I was 4–0 up in the first set, but he won three successive games, including two breaks. I thought I was in trouble, but I kept my head in the game and got through it,” said Furrows.

While the opening point of the match was brief as Furrows took an early lead, the second featured a 19-ball rally that ended with a backhand winner from Furrows.

Despite Rootman’s powerful strikes, Furrows’ calmness and experience made the difference. He raced to a 4–0 lead before a lapse in concentration allowed Rootman to win the next three games. However, Furrows quickly regained control, using a combination of power, placement, and pressure to force unforced errors from his frustrated opponent. He closed out the set by winning the final two games, 6–3.

The second set saw continued long rallies, though less drama. Furrows took the first two points, and while Rootman clawed back to 2–1, he couldn’t keep up with Furrows’ tactical play. The second seed maintained the upper hand in the serving battle to close out the match 6–2.

Rootman acknowledged Furrows’ dominance: “It was a tough match. We played a couple of insanely long rallies. Credit to Shane. I think he missed five balls in the entire match. He didn’t miss the big points. I was playing out of my comfort zone and it forced me to miss some balls.”

Other results:

Women’s singles final: Unseeded Bosnian Iman Bajramovic defeated fourth seed Almè van Schalkwyk 6–3, 6–2.

“I’m happy I won because I went through many mental blocks to get to playing strong and getting match points,” said Bajramovic.

U12 girls’ final: Paris Omenogor beat Emma van Rooyen 6–1, 6–2; U14 girls’ final: Kamogelo Plaatjie beat Lisa Jonker 6–3, 6–0; U16 girls’ final: Wendy Modiba (Limpopo) beat Megan van Vuuren 6–1, 6–2; U12 boys’ final: Cole Joyce beat Judah Brasg 7-6, 6-3; U14 boys’ final: Johann van der Walt beat Veer Trikamjee; U16 boys’ final: Jordan James Haynes beat Luke Verwey 6–3, 6–3.

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