SECOND seed Takanyi Garanganga beat top seed and fellow countryman Benjamin Lock 6-1 6-4 in straight sets to win the all-Zimbabwean final in the third and final International Tennis Federation (ITF) Old Mutual Futures Series event at Harare Sports yesterday.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
The two Zimbabwe Davis Cup teammates met in the final of the first of the Old Mutual-sponsored pro circuit events with Lock triumphing 7-6 6 2 at the same venue. Garanganga, who has struggled with injuries and loss of form in recent months, was happy with his performances in the past seven days. Yesterday’s win was his first on the professional circuit since winning the Turkey F50 Futures two years ago.
“First week I really struggled. It took me longer to adjust to the conditions here, but gradually from my match yesterday (Friday) I got my groove and my racquet and string on point. I felt the ball pretty well, I was moving a lot better, my tactics seemed to work to my favour today and I also returned well. Overall I think I played well this week and I am happy about that,” he said after his triumph.
The win is a major boost for Garanganga, who now heads for the US to play on the Association of Tennis Professionals Challengers’ Series with a tournament lined up at the beginning of July.
On Friday, Lock and his younger brother Courtney bagged a third consecutive doubles title in three weeks with a walkover victory over the pair of American Jordan Parker and Isaac Stoute from Great Britain.
