27 Sep Top seeds ease into quarter-finals at SA Spring Open
The seeded players Chanel Simmonds, Benjamin Lock (ZIM), Kgothatso Montjane and Tom Egberink (NED) advanced to the quarter-final round at the SA Spring Open at Ellis Park Tennis Courts in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Simmonds, the women’s top seed advanced without much trouble from her American opponent Stephanie Kent, who retired while 6-1 4-1 down. Men’s top seed Benjamin Lock from Zimbabwe wasted little time to edge out Italian Claudio Grassi 6-2 6-1.
Simmonds will play 5th-seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Romeo and Lock will face-off against Terence Atmane also from France.
South African top junior star Kholo Montsi had to withdraw after going one set down to Vaughn Hunter as pain forced him to withdraw at Ellis Park Tennis Courts on Thursday.
The 16-year-old Montsi’s SA Spring Open journey came to an end after he retired due to shin splints.
In the wheelchair tennis event, world number five and US Open finalist Kgothatso Montjane strolled into the second round of the inaugural SA Spring Open with a whitewash 6-0 6-0 victory over compatriot Livhuani Limela.
The 33-year-old had everything her own way, needing 21 minutes to wrap up the match. Montjane will face former world number 2 junior Nokwanda Hlongwane in Friday’s quarter-finals.
Tom Egberink, the men’s top seed didn’t even need to pick up a racket because Thato Tsomole did not show up for his match. The Dutch world number 5 will take on countryman Carlos Sasson (seeded 5th) on Friday for a place in the semi-final round.
The country’s top ranked men’s player Evans Maripa began his campaign in emphatic fashion, crushing countryman Benito Vuma 6-0 6-0 to set up a showdown with third seed Nico Langmann on Friday.
Men
1-Benjamin Lock (ZIM) bt Claudio Grassi (ITA) 6-2 6-1
2-David Pichler (AUT) bt Arthur Cazaux (FRA) 6-2 6-4
3-Takanyi Garanganga (ZIM) bt Arsenije Zlatanovic (SBR) 6-4 6-4
4-Alexander Donski (BUL) bt Courtney Lock (ZIM) 6-3 7-6(0)
5-Hamidreza Nadaf (IRI) bt Michael-John Every (CUW) 6-0 2-6 6-2
7-Yvonne Neuwirth (AUT) bt Alexander Riley (USA) 7-5 7-5
Jordan Hasson (ISR) bt Lance-Pierre du Toit (RSA 7-6(5) 2-6 6-3
Terence Atmane (FRA) bt 8-Mehluli Sibanda (ZIM) 6-3 6-4
Vaughn Hunter (RSA) bt Kholo Montsi 6-4 1-0 Ret.
Women
1-Chanel Simmonds (RSA) bt Stephanie Kent (USA) 6-1 4-1 Ret.
2-Merel Hoedt (NED) bt Hili Kronzon (ISR) 6-1 6-0
5-Caroline Romeo (FRA) bt Lauren Cooper (USA) 6-4 6-3
6-Ashmitha Easwaramurthi (IND) bt Mikayla Faure (RSA) 6-3 6-0
8-Tina Smith (AUS) bt Elena Jamshidi (DEN) 6-2 6-3
Kristin Younes (ISR) bt 3-Zeel Desai (IND) 0-6 6-1 6-3
Maria Viviani (ITA) bt 4-Tamara Itzhaki (ISR) 6-2 4-6 6-4
Wheelchair Tennis
Men
1-Tom Egberink (NED) bt Thato Tsomole (RSA) walkover
2-Frederic Cattaneo (FRA) bt Brilliant Mabaso (RSA) 6-0 6-0
3-Nico Langmann (AUT) bt Tiisetso Motaung (RSA) 6-4 6-1
4-Guy Sasson (ISR) bt Mpho Mhlongo (RSA) 6-0 6-2
5-Carlos Anker (NED) bt Sbonelo Qwabe (RSA) 6-0 6-1
6-Evans Maripa (RSA) bt Benito Vuma (RSA) 6-0 6-0
7-Leon Els (RSA) bt Siyabonga Ndumo (RSA) 6-0 6-1
8-Alwande Sikhosana (RSA) bt Mzwanele Thentsi (RSA) 6-0 6-2
Women
1-Kgothatso Montjane (RSA) bt Livhuani Limela (RSA) 6-0 6-0
2-Shiori Funamizu (JPN) bt Nosipho Hlatswayo (RSA) 6-0 6-0
3-Emmanuelle Morch (FRA) bt Simamkele Zondwayo (RSA) 6-0 6-0
Nokwanda Hlongwane(RSA)bt Dipuo Molefe(RSA) 7-5 6-1
Lerato Mathose (RSA) bt Mirgal Masiya (RSA) 6-2 6-4
4-Busra Un (TUR) bt Mabel Mankgele (RSA) 6-0 6-1
Cornelia Oosthuizen (GBR) bt Martha Tsum (RSA) 6-0 6-1
Mariska Venter (RSA) bt Asive Gilifile (RSA) 6-1 6-0