XOLILE MPISANE
UZINIKE ithuba lokuziphindiselela ku-Alexander Zverev umdlali wethenisi wakuleli, uLloyd Harris, ngesikhathi ezibekisela indawo kuma-quarterfinal kwi-US Open.
UHarris uhlule uReillly Opelka wase-United States of America (USA) ngo-6-7 6-4, 6-1, 6-3, waba ngumdlali wokuqala waseNingizimu Afrika ukufika kuleli banga kwi-US Open selokhu kwagcina uKevin Anderson ngo-2017.
Kwi-set yokuqala, bezibambene ngo-6-6, u-Opelka waze wayinqoba kwi-tiebreak (isiwombe esinquma owinile uma kade zibambene) kodwa emuva kwalokho uhlulekile ukumelana namabhola asheshayo abeqhamuka kuHarris, ogcine eshaye ama-ace angu-36 kulo mdlalo.
"Ngidlale kahle kakhulu, ngisho nakwi-set yokuqala bengiza kahle kodwa ngeshwa yangiphunyuka kwi-tiebreak," kusho uHarris obekhuluma kwithangami sabezindaba ebesikhonjwa kwi-YouTube.
"U-Opelka uyidlale kangcono kunami wathatha amaphuzu amqoka. Angizange kodwa ngidikibale ngoba bengazi ukuthi ngidlale kahle. Ngiqhubekile nokulisusa kahle ibhola ngadlala ngokuzethemba, ngagcina ngiwunqobile umdlalo.
"Indlela engidlale ngayo ingenza ngizethembe kakhulu njengoba ngibheke emdlalweni wama-quartertfinal."
UHarris usezobhekana no-Alexander Zverev ongene kalula kulesi sigaba ehlula uJannik Sinner ngo-6-4, 6-4, 7-6.
Basanda kuhlangana kwiCincinnati Open, kwanqoba uZverev. Lo mdlali waseGermany, usayinqobe yomibili imidlalo ayidlale noHarris.
"Kuningi okuhle engingakuthatha kulo mdlalo esiwudlale eCincinnati. Ngawuqala kahle futhi sasidlalisana yize noma agcina enginqobile," kuqhuba uHarris.
"Ngiya ngokuya ngilikhuphula izinga njengoba ngiqhubeka nokudlala futhi lokho kuyangijabulisa kakhulu. UZverev naye udlala kahle kakhulu ngakho-ke abalandeli bangalindela umdlalo omnandi.
"Ngiyakuthokozela kakhulu ukwesekwa ngabalandeli lapha enkundleni futhi ngiyayithola nemilayezo ekhuthazayo eqhamuka ekhaya eNingizimu Afrika."
UZverev naye ekhuluma nabezindaba kwi-YouTube, uthe usekuqaphele ukuthi uHarris ungumdlali oyingozi futhi ulindele obunye ubunzima ngoLwesithathu.
"UHarris usethuthuke kakhulu kulo nyaka. Ngisanda kuxoxa nomunye wozakwethu, ngimtshela ukuthi sengiqaphelile ukuthi uHarris useyakwazi ukunqoba imidlalo emithathu noma ngaphezulu emincintiswaneni eminingi, ngisho noma edlala kuphi.
"Lokho kuchaza ukuthi singambala njengomunye wabadlali abayingozi. Uyalishaya impela ibhola futhi ngesikhathi sidlala eCincinnati kwakulukhuni ukuthi ngiwabuyise amabhola akhe. Ngilindele umdlalo onzima kakhulu," kusho uZverev.