Tweni crowns tennis champions
There were a few up and downs, but in the end deserving champions were crowned.
The tennis champs at Umtentweni Tennis Club have come and gone, with some players defending their titles and some new names emerging to challenge.
In the men’s singles, teenager Hriday Kambaran (17) beat Bjorn Wikstrom 6-2, 6-1 to defend his title, despite losing the opening two games.
It wasn’t like Bjorn played badly, not at all. Hriday’s flexibility and Djokovic-like movement and defence was outstanding.
So Bjorn, unlike Sacha Zverev now (who won Roland-Garros), is still the best player without a single’s ‘slam’ on the coast. But for how much longer?
There was some consolation for him in the doubles when he teamed up with super-veteran Ian Ackerman to beat Mick Taute and Johan van Niekerk in a three-set thriller, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
In the ladies’ singles, Liesl Smith, who has won 17 times before, saw off a serious challenge from Cheryse Wikstrom, eventually taking it 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
Liesl was involved in another exciting match in the ladies’ doubles, where she teamed up with Natasha Cotterell in the ladies’ doubles but lost to Cheryse and Sharon van der Schyff, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3.
The mixed doubles also went to three sets, with defending champions Darral Pillay and Sharon van der Schyff beating David Rush and Robyn Olivant 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
In terms of the plate events, the men’s singles saw Darral Pillay beat Johan van Niekerk 6-3, 7-6.
Men’s doubles plate went to Colin Barker and David Rush over Raj Naganna and Herman Ehlers 6-4, retired.
The mixed doubles was awarded to Mick Taute and Natasha Cotterell over Johan van Niekerk and Cathy Kirton, with Cathy not able to play due to an injury.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
