It was a day to forget for Uganda men’s national tennis team after they suffered an overall 3-0 defeat to Madagascar on Friday during the second matchday of the Davis Cup (by Rakuten) Africa Group V currently going on at Cercle de Kinshasa.
Ugandan charges lost both the two singles and one double, all in straight sets against fierce Madagascan players who were unstoppable throughout the day.
Uganda’s national champion, Frank Tayebwa put up an early spirited fight in his singles match against Madagascar’s Fenosoa Rasendra Andrianantenaina but ended up losing in straight sets. The latter won the first set via a tiebreaker (7-5) before easing to a 6-2 win in the second set.
In the other singles, Uganda’s Trevor Kazibwe had a dreary show against Madagascar’s Lucas Andriamasilalao, suffering a bagel in the opening set. The latter wrapped proceedings in the second set with a 6-2 win with the match lasting for 55 minutes.
With Tayebwa and Kazibwe suffering straight sets defeats in the singles, legendary Coach John Oduke who is Uganda’s Captain at the tournament handed Paul Ssekandi and Troy Zziwa their event first appearance having had no show in the opening matchday.
Ssekandi and Zziwa too faced it rough against the Madagascans, suffering a bagel in the first set of the doubles against Nicolas Raharivony and Romeo Rakotomalala. They later lost the second set 1-6 in a match that lasted for only 44 minutes.
Uganda, seeded in Pool B returns to action today, Saturday against Mauritius and the side from the Pearl of Africa will be seeking for redemption.
