Johan Theron was Namibia’s best player at the ITF CAT Southern Africa Junior Tennis Championships in Gaborone, finishing fourth in the boys u16 singles competition.
Theron, who is only 14 years old, had a great start, winning his first three matches in a row to reach the semifinals.
On 9 January, he beat Reabetsoe Rafutho of Lesotho 6-2, 6-1 to reach the second round.
The next day he made a great comeback to beat Jonathan Mavuka of Zambia in three sets. Mavuka won the opening set 6-3, but Theron fought back to take the second 6-4, as well as the deciding third set 10-5.
That put him through to the quarterfinals where he came up against the fourth-seeded Miles Murindagomo of Zimbabwe, and Theron once again displayed great resilience as he came from behind to win a tough three-setter.
Murindagomo just edged the first set 7-5, but Theron maintained the pressure and clinched the second set by the same score to send the match into a deciding third set. Here Theron showed his big match temperament as he held on to win the set 10-5 and the match 2-1.
Theron’s winning run, however, came to an end in the semifinals where he suffered a comprehensive 6-1, 6-0 defeat against the fifth seed, Jack Thornhill of South Africa.
In the third place play-off match yesterday Theron lost 6-1, 6-2 to Sean Tabuberekera of Zimbabwe, to finish fourth overall.
Namibia’s three entrants in the Girls u16 category won their first round matches, but were all eliminated in the second round.
Natalia Tia Ouses beat Kayla Muimo of Zambia 6-2, 4-6, 10-5, but then lost 6-0, 6-0 to the top seed Lyndsey Phillips of South Africa.
Elrica Nakusera beat Jazara Alberto of Mozambique 6-4, 7-6, before losing 6-1, 6-1 to the third seeded Rutendo Tom of Zimbabwe; and Secilia Nqhitewapo beat Pamela Mabuto of Botswana 6-1, 6-0, before losing 6-0, 6-0 to the second seeded Charlotte Bouwer of South Africa.
Breyton Bezuidenhout was Namibia’s best performer in the boys u14 singles category. After a first round bye, he beat Loic Rakotomalala 6-4, 6-2, but his run came to an end in the quarterfinals where he loswt 6-1, 6-0 to the fourth seeded Chamakh Zhuwakini of Zimbabwe.
Shafiishuna Simali had a first round bye, but then lost 6-1, 6-1 to Christian Mabo of Zambia, while Pameni Paulus also had a first round bye before losing 6-0, 6-0 to the second seeded Mpho Bouwers of South Africa.
Namibia had three entrants in the girls u14 category, but they were all eliminated in the first round.
Azalia Nauises lost 6-3, 6-3 to Melody Mubanguiane of Mozambique; Albertina Johannes lost 6-0, 6-0 to Koloina Randriamananjara of Madagascar; and Milan de Lange lost 6-1, 6-1 to the sixth seed Camilla Seetso of Botswana.
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