Antwi ® with the trophy and coach Victor Akwatey
Straight-sets win in the final gave Samuel Antwi his fourth National Ranking title of the year after beating Felix Hammond 6-2, 6-3 last Saturday at the Atomic Tennis Club.
Samuel Antwi leads head to head after defeating the Osu based player, Hammond, four times in the National Ranking Tour.
Samuel Antwi, ousted Jeff Bagerbaseh 6-3, 6-3, in the first round, Samuel Nyamekye 3-6 5-0 in the second round, Reginald Okantey in the quarterfinals 6-1,6-2 and Johnson Acquah 6-2,3-0 in the semifinals before finishing Felix Hammond in the finals.
Antwi currently has six titles under belt this year (three National Ranking Tour titles, which included the prestigious Accra Open Tour 2, Interplast Invitational Top 16, AMTEC Grudge Match Challenge Cup and Kings Cup).
While this is an obvious disappointment for Hammond in losing in the final for the second consecutive time, he has improved his all-round game.
Samuel’s repeated moves to the net as the match progressed allowed him to hurry through his service games and surprise Hammond with a change of pace and won the first set 6-3.
In the second set, Antwi was the strongest of the two players as the match progressed. Drawing more errors out of a tired Hammond’s backhand, Antwi claimed victory.
“I don’t think I played my best tennis throughout the entire week, but I think I found my best tennis when I needed it the most, in the decisive moments, today, yesterday, practically every match. That makes me definitely very satisfied and proud,” said Antwi.
“I want to thank my team, Coach Victor Akwatey Anane, Andrews Adu Appiah, my sponsors Charles Addo Quaye of Lone Star, Steiner Wood Chairman of Atomic Tennis Club and Johnson Osei-Owusu of Juwel Energy, not forgetting members of Atomic Tennis Club and Koforidua Tennis Club for their support.”
From The Sports Desk