FOLLOWING the withdrawal of his elder brother Benjamin Lock from the Davis Cup team barely three weeks before an away tie against Finland, Courtney says he is ready to fill his big brother’s shoes.
Munyaradzi Madzokere
The Zimbabwe Davis Cup team dates Finland in a Euro/Africa Zone Group II encounter set for March 4 to 6, in Finland’s skiing resort town, Kittila.
Tennis Zimbabwe had named a four-member team that included Zimbabwe number one player Takanyi Garanganga, doubles specialist Mark Fynn, and the Lock brothers, before Benjamin opted out due to college commitments. He is in his final year at Florida State University in the United States.
“I realise that there is a chance I will play singles in the upcoming Davis Cup tie in Finland. I have been training hard since August last year, playing a lot of matches. Therefore, if my name gets called up for singles, I will definitely be ready,” he told Standardsport from his US base at the University of Louisville.
“I am very excited to be going to Finland with the team and I can’t wait to start getting used to training with the team, as well as getting used to the conditions there. I think it obviously hurts the team a lot that my brother Benjy is unable to play in the Davis Cup, considering how well he is playing right now, but I strongly believe that we are in contention for this tie, we can win it,” said the 19-year-old Zimbabwe Davis Cup team starlet.
Young Lock made his Davis Cup debut for Zimbabwe in July last year during the Euro/Africa Group II playoffs against Moldova at Harare Sports Club, which the hosts comfortably won 5-0 to retain their place in the group.
He teamed up with Mark Fynn for a 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 doubles rubber victory over Dmitrii Baskov and Andrei Soltoinnu to clinch the match for Zimbabwe.
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Courtney had a great start to the collegiate tennis season and was duly named Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Tennis Player of the Week on January 19.
Last week he recorded victories in both his singles and doubles matches to help University of Louisville pick up their third straight win in the conference after beating Michigan State University 4-1 in their own backyard.
Zimbabwe number one Garanganga is certain to play the other singles rubbers while it’s a toss-up between Fynn and Lock to assume the number two tag.
Tennis Zimbabwe convener of selectors, Tanya Chinamo said they would not be replacing Benjamin, but would send a three-man team, while captain Martin Dzuwa will be registered as the fourth player although he is highly unlikely to play.
“At the moment, we have three players that are going plus the captain and our budget has been a factor as we are struggling to get adequate sponsorship for the trip. It’s sad we will be missing Benjy but for someone on a scholarship, school comes first,” he said.
“Whether Courtney will play the singles matches is up to the coach, but this is the strongest team we have and we are still optimistic we will upset Finland. Only our chances would have been better with Benjy in the team,” Chinamo said.
