If there any turn positive arounds after battling to return to winning ways, then Duncan Mugabe’s performance at the just concluded Real Insurance Kenya Tennis Open is a surreal one.
The Ugandan ace, who recently struggled with injury and a poor spell of results, put up a stellar and sublime display to oust Rwandan Jean Claude Gasigwa in the men’s singles final at Nairobi Club yesterday afternoon.
Seed two Gasigwa took the first set 7-5 but the towering 22-year old dug deep to win the latter sets 6-1 6-1 without much support in front of huge numbers.
“I am glad i won after such a good game,” Mugabe, who was entered as seed three, said after scooping a Kshs100,000 (Shs.3 million) cash prize. “This is just a great comeback for me.”
The victory was a sweet revenge to the lad who made Mugabe shed tears, throw a racket and ball in misery after losing a semifinal of the Uganda Open at in front of the home crowd at Kampala Club two months ago.
“Yes, yes! We have done it,” another Ugandan youngster David Oringa told Kawowo Sports in great elation on phone from Nairobi after Mugabe’s triumph. “Our aim was to come and win everything here (Kenya) and pay back to the Rwandans who beat us at home in April.” the 2012 Uganda Open winner added.
Oringa, a tournament seed four, suffered an injury mid-way the contest and lost to Gasigwa 7-6 2-6 2-6 in one of the semifinals on Saturday while Mugabe had reached the second straight final after revenging last year’s with a 6-3 6-2 win victory over holder Edgar Kazembe.
Later on Saturday, the Ugandan pair pushed hard and won the decisive tier break set to beat Gasigwa and Kazembe in the men’s doubles final 6-3 3-6 7-6 and also collect Kshs.40000 (Shs. 1.2 million).
Mugabe completed a treble, a similar feat of 2010, after partnering alongside Kenyan Mutuku Zua to defeat Rwandan Diedonne Habiyambere and Odour pair 6/3 3/6 10/5 to win the mixed doubles.