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Zimbabwe's Lock brothers notch biggest career win
24 Jun 2024 at 01:41hrs | Views
Benjamin and Courtney Lock, Zimbabwean tennis siblings, celebrated a significant victory at the 2024 Internationaux de Tennis de Blois in France over the weekend, clinching their first ATP Challenger Tour title as a doubles team. They triumphed over Frenchmen Corentin Denolly and Arthur Gea with a hard-fought 1-6, 6-3 (10-4) win in the final on Saturday.
This achievement marked the first ATP challenger or ATP tour-level victory by Zimbabwean players since 2005, when Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyet claimed the Australian Open. The Lock brothers, inspired by their mother's presence among the spectators for the first time on their European tour, expressed immense joy and satisfaction with their win.
Benjamin Lock described the victory as particularly special, given their previous disappointments in two ATP Challenger finals. He highlighted the joy of sharing this milestone with their mother, making her presence during the week all the more meaningful.
Their path to victory included wins over Anthony Genov and Bruno Pujol Navarro, Sidhant Bathia and Divij Sharan, and a tough semi-final against Luca Potenza and Tennyson Whitting. The final match proved to be a career-defining moment for Benjamin Lock, who termed it the biggest title of his career thus far.
Looking ahead, the Lock brothers are set to represent Zimbabwe in the Davis Cup Group III Championship scheduled in Nigeria next month. They expressed determination to build on their recent success, aiming to maintain their momentum and continue delivering their best tennis.
The Davis Cup tournament in Abuja will feature a round-robin format among Zimbabwe, Benin Republic, Namibia, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, and host Nigeria, with promotion to Group II at stake for the top three teams.
Overall, Benjamin and Courtney Lock's victory in France not only revitalized their tennis careers but also bolstered Zimbabwe's presence in international tennis, setting a positive tone for their upcoming competitions.
This achievement marked the first ATP challenger or ATP tour-level victory by Zimbabwean players since 2005, when Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyet claimed the Australian Open. The Lock brothers, inspired by their mother's presence among the spectators for the first time on their European tour, expressed immense joy and satisfaction with their win.
Benjamin Lock described the victory as particularly special, given their previous disappointments in two ATP Challenger finals. He highlighted the joy of sharing this milestone with their mother, making her presence during the week all the more meaningful.
Looking ahead, the Lock brothers are set to represent Zimbabwe in the Davis Cup Group III Championship scheduled in Nigeria next month. They expressed determination to build on their recent success, aiming to maintain their momentum and continue delivering their best tennis.
The Davis Cup tournament in Abuja will feature a round-robin format among Zimbabwe, Benin Republic, Namibia, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, and host Nigeria, with promotion to Group II at stake for the top three teams.
Overall, Benjamin and Courtney Lock's victory in France not only revitalized their tennis careers but also bolstered Zimbabwe's presence in international tennis, setting a positive tone for their upcoming competitions.
Source - The Chronicle
