The Sunday News
Simba Jemwa, Sports Correspondent
Ouakaa Aziz gave Tunisia a stranglehold over Zimbabwe as he beat debutant Thabo Ncube, 6-4, 6-0, to put the hosts 4-0 ahead in their Davis Cup World Group II semi-final in the Tunisian capital of Tunis yesterday.
Playing on clay at the outdoor Tennis Club de Tunis, the two countries were competing for the right to challenge for a spot in the World Elite Group of the prestigious men’s tournament. Earlier Malek Jaziri and Skander Mansouri gave Tunisia a flying start on Day Two of the tie by defeating Lock brothers, Benjamin and Courtney, 6-3, 6-2, in the opening rubber of the day.
Ranked 587 in the world, the 22-year-old Aziz drew first blood for the hosts against Ncube, who was selected to play the dead rubber and gain experience after Zimbabwe lost the doubles match. Aziz’s emphatic win just underlined why the North Africans, who have previously triumphed over Zimbabwe in the same tournament, were overwhelming favorites to repeat the dose and reach the final to fight for a place in the elite group to be played in its traditional historic format before next year’s revamp.
Aziz was impressive from the start, taking an early break for 2-1, aided by Ncube missing plenty of first serves, and controlling the opening stanza. The 20-year-old Zimbabwe debutant brought a little sting into his game winning another service game to level the score at 2-2. Aziz then broke Ncube in the 5th game of the set and never looked back.
Ncube tried to stage a comeback in the 8th game when he was 5-2 down pulling back to within one service game, but Aziz broke Ncube again to win the set 6-4.
In the second set, Aziz again stepped up his game and forced the inexperienced Ncube to capitulate, reeling off the final four points of the set, to seal it 6-0. He forged home his advantage over the unranked debutant to wrap up victory in one hour and 13 minutes.
Jaziri and Mansouri gave Tunisia a stranglehold over Zimbabwe as they beat the Lock brothers, Benjamin and Courtney, 6-3, 6-2, to put the hosts 3-0 ahead on Day Two of their Davis Cup World Group II semi-final in Tunis yesterday.
The experienced Jaziri and 26-year-old Mansouri who is ranked 259 in doubles overwhelmed the Zimbabwean youngsters in both sets but were made to work hard for every point. At the time of going to print, Zimbabwe’s Mehluli Sibanda was preparing to take on the hosts’ Aziz Dougaz. @RealSimbaJemwa
