AAG: Bad start for Ghana in tennis

Algiers, July 12, GNA - Ghana had a poor start on the first day of competition after the official opening of the 9th All Africa Games in Algiers when South African, Calitz Pieter made mince meat of Emmanuel Mensah on Clay Court Two of the July 5 Stadium in their tennis match. Mensah lost by two straight sets, 5-7, 1-6 to get team officials concerned about Ghana' chances.

The South African went with his service in the first game of the first set, even though Mensah had rushed into a 40-15 lead that gave team officials much hope.

Mensah evened the scores when he held his serve and took the second game with his opponent at 30.

After that, something appeared to have gone wrong with the Ghanaian, as Calitz won the next four games to take a comfortable 5-1 lead.

Mensah however showed a great recovery penchant when he rallied and tied the scores at five games apiece; after breaking the South African twice on his serve.

But when the members of the Ghanaian community present at the venue began to raise their voices, Mensah froze and allowed Calitz to win the next two games to wrap up the first set at 7-5.

In the second set, the South African took an early two game lead as Mensah committed unforced errors and faulted on his service. The Ghanaian won the third game and that was all he could salvage in the match and the much older Calitz, a veteran, who is in his twilight of his tennis career and who works as an assistant coach in a Tennis Academy in South Africa raced to win the set at 6-1; thus putting the brakes on the Games ambition of Mensah.

Lined up to play later in the evening are Michael Nortey, who challenges Matong Onkabetse of Botswana and Owusu Manford who will met Gina of Swaziland.