XOLILE MPISANE
UZIZWA esefomini yomhlaba umdlali wakuleli we-tennis uLloyd Harris njengoba elungiselela ukubhekana noReilly Opelka wase-United States ku-Round of 16 emqhudelwaneni i-US Open kusihlwa ngo-7.
UHarris (24) ungene kulo mzuliswano ezidlulela kalula ku-Denis Shapovalov, obebekwe endaweni yesikhombisa kwabebethwelwe ngeqoma ukuthi bangayithatha le ndebe, emshaya ngo 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 ngeSonto.
Bese kungokwesibili ehlula lo mdlali waseCanada kulo nyaka njengoba amthela ngenduku nangoMashi kwiDubai Open.
"Bekuwubusuku obumangalisayo futhi nezihlwele bezinginika umdlandla," kusho uHarris.
"Anginawo amaningi okuchaza indlela engizizwa ngayo. ukungena emzuliswaneni wesine kwi-Grand Slam kuyinto enkulu kakhulu kimina.
"Ngiyaqala ngqa kodwa manje sengibheke umdlalo olandelayo. Sengijahe ukubuyela enkundleni."
UHarris uqale lo nyaka ekleliswe endaweni ka-90 emhlabeni kodwa ukunqoba imidlalo emikhulu sekumenze wakhuphukela endaweni ka-46.
Ngenyanga eyedlule uthuse iningi ehlula inkakha yaseSpain uRafael Nadal emqhudelwaneni we-Citi Open eWashington.
"Konke kuyahlangana kule sizini. Ngizizwa ngizethemba futhi ngisefomini enhle kakhulu," kusho uHarris. "Ngiseza kahle, ngilishaya kahle ibhola, ngifuna ukuqhubeka nale fomu engikuyo."
UHarris uhlule uKaren Khachanov waseRussia emzuliswaneni wokuqala, waguqisa u-Ernesto Escobedo wase-United States kowesibili ngaphambi kokukhipha uShapovalov.