Honiball tops in tennis

NAMIBIAN first seed Riekie Honiball was in uncompromising form on Saturday, when she ousted the equally competitive Natasha Fourouclas of South Africa in the final of the girls’ singles ITF South and Central African Under-18 Junior tennis tournament in Windhoek .

Honiball, winning the match 7-5, 6-2, became the first Namibian girl to win the International Tennis Federation (ITF) event on home soil. With a powerful forehand and massive serves, Honiball kept Fourouclas chasing after the ball to keep in contention in what turned out to be an exciting encounter.Fourouclas on her way to the final dismantled her compatriot Tracy Plant on Friday in a tight affair.Honiball reached the final of the tournament after she send Danè Joubert, also from South Africa, packing after coming back strongly from a set down.She dispatched Joubert 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to enter into her first final match.In the boys’ singles final, Pieter-Schalk Becker of South Africa dismissed his countryman Jurgen de Jager 7-6, 7-5 to claim the title.Becker got rid of Namibian third seen Henco Serdyn 6-3, 6-3 in the semi-final on Friday to book a date with De Jager, who proved to be a tough customer on the court.Serdyn had the best chance of advancing to the final among the Namibian team, but was stopped in his tracks by the power serves of Becker, who ran effectively across the court to meet shots from his opponent.Despite going through to the final, Serdyn pulled off a victory for a third place when he outclassed South Africa’s Marlu Jansen van Vuuren 6-2, 6-1 in their match on Saturday.The two singles finals lived up to the expectations despite the paltry crowd of spectators who turned up to watch the proceeding at the Central Tennis Courts in Olympia.Plant, who missed out for the final spot, got consolation when she grabbed the third spot from Danè Joubert in 6-2, 7-5.The doubles for girls was won by K.Baranova (Slovakia) and A.Rufyikiri of Burundi who won 6-1, 6-3 against Honiball and I.Jagua, both of Namibia.Becker and H.Pieters beat W.Montgomery (RSA) and S.Omoile of Nigeria 6-3, 6-4 to claim the title.The second round of the ITF Under-18 Junior tennis tournament starts today at the same venue with players who have higher points on the ITF ranking.The second round will be more competitive and Namibia will field the same four boys and girls who competed in the first round.Other countries from a total of 20 who are competing at the event will also have their strong players in contention.With a powerful forehand and massive serves, Honiball kept Fourouclas chasing after the ball to keep in contention in what turned out to be an exciting encounter.Fourouclas on her way to the final dismantled her compatriot Tracy Plant on Friday in a tight affair.Honiball reached the final of the tournament after she send Danè Joubert, also from South Africa, packing after coming back strongly from a set down.She dispatched Joubert 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to enter into her first final match.In the boys’ singles final, Pieter-Schalk Becker of South Africa dismissed his countryman Jurgen de Jager 7-6, 7-5 to claim the title.Becker got rid of Namibian third seen Henco Serdyn 6-3, 6-3 in the semi-final on Friday to book a date with De Jager, who proved to be a tough customer on the court.Serdyn had the best chance of advancing to the final among the Namibian team, but was stopped in his tracks by the power serves of Becker, who ran effectively across the court to meet shots from his opponent.Despite going through to the final, Serdyn pulled off a victory for a third place when he outclassed South Africa’s Marlu Jansen van Vuuren 6-2, 6-1 in their match on Saturday.The two singles finals lived up to the expectations despite the paltry crowd of spectators who turned up to watch the proceeding at the Central Tennis Courts in Olympia.Plant, who missed out for the final spot, got consolation when she grabbed the third spot from Danè Joubert in 6-2, 7-5.The doubles for girls was won by K.Baranova (Slovakia) and A.Rufyikiri of Burundi who won 6-1, 6-3 against Honiball and I.Jagua, both of Namibia.Becker and H.Pieters beat W.Montgomery (RSA) and S.Omoile of Nigeria 6-3, 6-4 to claim the title.The second round of the ITF Under-18 Junior tennis tournament starts today at the same venue with players who have higher points on the ITF ranking.The second round will be more competitive and Namibia will field the same four boys and girls who competed in the first round.Other countries from a total of 20 who are competing at the event will also have their strong players in contention.