Mozambican tennis player wins the 7th edition of Standard Bank Open.

In the most anticipated match of the last day of the tournament, Jossefa Simão won the category of professional athletes (PRO), single men, defeating Liberty Nzula by two sets to one, with the partial 7-6, 2-6, 6-2.

Still in the PRO category, the Congolese tennis player Onya Nancy won the first place, defeating, in the final, the South African athlete living in Maputo, Ohmar Fernandes, by 6-4 and 6-3.

Despite having won the two categories separately, Jossefa Simão and Onya Nancy still joined, to defeat the team of national tennis players Hercílio Seda and Marieta Nhamitambo, with the partials of 7-5 and 7-6, in the finals of mixed doubles.

Also in this tournament, organized annually by Standard Bank in coordination with the Mozambican Tennis Federation, Sharif Ahmed won the first place in men’s veterans, in category A, being the winners of categories B and C Alberto Nhancale and César Bento, respectively.

In the junior category, under-18 group, the tennis players Jaime Sigaúque in singles boys, and Marieta Nhamitambo in the singles girls were the winners, and Ana Vasilis and Ricardo Jacinto were the winners of under-14 category in singles girls and boys, respectively.

In the under-12 category, the winners were Edilson Rosa, single boys and Lindalva Franque, single girls.

Moments after becoming the absolute winner of the 7th edition of the Standard Bank Open, Jossefa Simão assumed that the final match was very well disputed, and it was not easy to defeat the Zimbabwean tennis player Liberty Nzula.

“He is a very experienced athlete who has played a lot of tennis. It was not, therefore,
an easy match. It was particularly challenging, and I struggled a lot to win, especially because he has resorted to tactics different from the ones we use in the country”, he explained, adding that it was a mental and strategic dispute in which he did everything to win.

“I am very happy with myself for having won the 7th edition of the Standard Bank Open after winning, in the last edition, the locals category. Now I will work hard to enter the next edition in a different way”, said Jossefa Simão.

Making an assessment of the tournament’s 7th edition, Standard Bank managing director Chuma Nwokocha said the tournament was held as planned. “The evaluation we make is very positive. We are proud to be associated with this important tournament”, he said.

Chuma Nwokocha assured that this being the 7th edition of this tournament organized by Standard Bank, “we have already seen the results. This year we had a Mozambican champion, which is a satisfaction for us”.

“Those who entered through the Play-and-Stay program tennis for the under-10, are currently included in several categories of this tournament”, said the Standard Bank’s managing director.

Also present at the closing ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Ana Flávia Azinheira, congratulated the athletes and Standard Bank for having organized the competition for the 7th consecutive year.

“These are the kind of synergies we have been encouraging. Standard Bank has been with us for 7 years and we know it will continue with us. This openness and support of the bank is very important because it brings dignity to athletes of high competition and training, helping us to develop tennis programs for all children”, concluded the deputy minister.