KCB Tennis Open

Semi-finals
M. Dzuwa (Zim)  bt J.C Gasigwa (Rwa) 6-4, 6-4
A. Cooper (Ken)  bt D. Mugabe   (Ug)   6-2, 6-4

Today’s final
M. Dzuwa v  A. Cooper

NAIROBI - JEAN Claude Gasigwa’s hat-trick title hopes were blown out of the window after yesterday’s semi-final loss against defending champion Martin Dzuwa.

Gasigwa lost 4-6, 4-6 as Dzuwa kept his bid of retaining the KCB Tennis Open title intact.

The country’s top seed started off well but started showing signs of fatigue as he made a number of unforced errors to give the Zimbabwean the upper hand.

Gasigwa, who had made himself a darling of the Kenyan crowd after spectacular performances en route the semi-final, struggled for consistency - particularly with his serve.

"I just didn’t have a lot of energy out there and my whole game thrives on energy, and grinding, and getting an extra ball back,” Gasigwa conceded before giving credit to Dzuwa.

"He played very well because he made very few unforced errors. If he plays like this tomorrow, then he has a great chance of winning,” he added.

It was a double slam for the 26-year-old as he also bowed out of the mixed doubles. Gasigwa, who had teamed up with Kenya’s Veronica Osogo lost to Omar Fernandez and Hillary Nyakaba 3-6, 6-7 in the mixed doubles.

Dzuwa will now play homeboy Allan Cooper in today’s final. Cooper beat top seed Duncan Mugabe (Uganda) 6-2, 6-4 in the other semi-final.

Ends