• Sport

Phiri outlasts Swartz for first NTA senior Masters title

• 3 Weeks Ago - 2024-10-28 00:00:00

In a gripping finale that combined strategy and stamina, Zambian national Dickson Phiri won his first Namibia Tennis Association (NTA) Senior Masters Championship title on Saturday.
Phiri, nicknamed “Azzie”, became the country's top-ranked male senior tennis player after winning a highly anticipated match against top seed Kendall Swartz at Central Tennis Courts in Windhoek
The eventual winner often outmanoeuvred Swartz with his crafty tactics of placing short shots just past the net, forcing relentless sprints and ultimately wearing him down.

Scales tilt in Phiri’s favour
The match initially seemed balanced, with Swartz leading after the first set (6-3), before Phiri got his head back in the game to dominate the second set 6-4.
However, a resurfacing back injury and dwindling mobility tilted the scales in Phiri’s favour as the match wore on.
Despite visible agony, a composed Swartz fought to keep up the pace, bending at every opportunity to rest his back. Yet, the intensity ultimately took its toll, leading him to forfeit decisively in the third set.
Swartz admitted that the match was physically taxing, as the intense heat and Phiri’s baseline strength put him to the test.
“Dickson is one of the best baseliners in the country. I knew he was going to make me run,” Swartz noted.
He acknowledged that Phiri’s strategy, which relied on drop shots and clever lobs, forced him to stay back from the net, limiting his options.
Despite his theory on the soft spots in Phiri's game, Swartz's lack of energy prevented him from exploiting them effectively. “I wanted to play to his backhand, which is a bit weaker than his forehand, but my tank was empty. I ran out of energy at the end.”

Boosted confidence
Phiri expressed satisfaction with his first Senior Masters win, saying it boosted his confidence.
Reflecting on the final, he admitted that the first set was a struggle: “I couldn’t play my best shots and was missing a lot – probably the worst game of my life.”
However, he found his rhythm in the second set by slowing down the pace and focusing on consistency.
Phiri explained that he adapted his strategy to counter Swartz’s consistent play, focusing on using short balls to his advantage.
“If you play with somebody who just grinds, you have to make some strategy and tactics. I tried to push him back a bit with my groundstrokes so that he can bring me inside and I can just put the balls away,” he noted.

‘Huge honour’
Tournament director Larushka Kruger reflected on Phiri’s performance, noting his slow start, which allowed Swartz to take the first set quickly without much competition.
“Dickson came back confident in the second set and stuck to his game. It was very unfortunate that Kendall was unable to play the third set,” she said.
“We want to say well done to Phiri, because the Masters title is a huge honour to have in this country,” said Kruger.
The third-place match between Oscar Muyambo and Elias Shikongo saw Muyambo narrowly claim victory (7-6, 7-6) against an old rival, securing his position as the third-ranked player in the country.

Upcoming tournament
NTA president Samson Kaulinge presented the prizes to the winners and runners-up.
The women’s competition was concluded the previous weekend, with Mari van Schalkwyk winning the Masters title ahead of fellow 15-year-old Joanivia Bezuidenhout.
Kaulinge expressed gratitude to the event’s sponsors, Arinze Okafor of Nifa Academy and David Ipinge of ElyonVenture.
In a nod to Swartz, Kaulinge remarked: “I know you’re a tough competitor. It’s good to witness you still giving the youngsters a run for their money.”
To the players, he said: “I hope to see you again at the upcoming Swakopmund tournament (Hollard Open from 17 to 22 December).”
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