By Zim Sport Live Writer
Top Zimbabwe tennis player Benjamin Lock finished the year in style after helped his side Hyderabad Strikers to a third Tennis Premier League title with a victory over Yash Mumbai Eagles at the CCI in Mumbai, India on Sunday.
Hyderabad Strikers beat Yash Mumbai Eagles 51 – 44 to win their third title in fourth years after triumphs in 2021 and 2022.
The Hyderabad Strikers team comprising Harriet Dart, Benjamin Lock and veteran Vishnu Vardhan performed exceptionally well over the four categories to ensured they claimed all the glory in the grand finale.
It was the sixth edition of the event which was launched in October 2018 and was played over six days of entertaining and non-stop tennis action, powered by Clear Premium Water.
Strikers had a positive start in the final with Dart winning the women singles rubber against Zeynep Sonmez 14 -11 before Karan Singh pulled things back level for Yash Mumbai Eagles after beating Lock 14 -11 in the men singles rubber.
Dart and Vardhan them teamed up to blow away Yash Mumbai’s pair of Zeynep Sonmez and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan 16 – 9 to bring the Sttikers on the cusp of victory.
Vishnu Vardhan and Lock ensured the title went to Hyderabad after playing 10-10 statemate against Singh and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan in the final men singles game.
It was sweet revenge for Hyderabad Strikers after their earlier league-stage loss to the Eagles in dramatic fashion.
The 31 – year – old Zimbabwean tennis player has had a good year in which he won three singles’ titles in. Addis Ababa, Huamantla and Arequipa as well as six doubles titles.
Lock won four doubles title on the ITF circuit with victory in Ajaccio, Addis Ababa twice and Mosquera while two were achieved on the Challenger Tour that is Blois Challenger 50 and Burnie 2 Challenger 75.
A total of eight franchise teams namely Bengal Wizards, Bengaluru SG Pipers, Chennai Smashers, Rajasthan Rangers, Gujarat Panthers, Punjab Patriots, Mumbai Eagles and Strikers with a selection of marquee national and international players, which get selected via auction took part in the tournament.
The tournament follows a format where the eight teams are divided into two groups and each match has four games, men’s and women’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles, each worth 20 points.