Michelle serves up a double ace
Dream come true for local tennis star after winning the singles and doubles titles at tournament in Sun City.
MOST tennis players chase the dream of one day winning a singles title, few reach that goal. However, even fewer win a singles and doubles title at the same tournament. But former Our Lady of Fatima pupil and tennis supremo, Michelle Sammons, did just that at the Sun City Futures 1 tennis tournament recently after winning the singles and doubles title at the tournament.
The third seeded Sammons won her first career Futures title in a gruelling two hour final that ended in a 2-6 7-5 6-4 over second seed Natasha Fourouclas in the singles competition. The tennis ace said winning her first title was a dream come true.
“I have put a lot of hard work getting to this point and to finally win my first Futures is a dream come true. I really have had a blessed week and hope to carry my form over to the next two events. Natasha is a very good player. She makes you work really hard for the points,” Sammons said.
Fourouclas started strongly winning the opening set in 49 minutes. In the second set, Sammons broke serve in the second game to go up 2-0 but Fourouclas promptly broke back to level. The set then went with serve until the eleventh game when Sammons broke and held served to win the set 7-5 and split sets. In the final set Sammons raced to a 3-1 lead and maintained that lead throughout.
In the lead up to the final, Sammons upset top seed and fellow Fed Cup squad team mate Madrie le Roux in the semi-finals and after that win said that she felt confident for the title. “I had a lot of confidence in my own game going into the final. It’s been a good week and I have played some good tennis and was ready to give my all in the final.”
The women’s doubles title also went to Michelle Sammons and her partner Chanel Simmonds. Sammons and Simmonds beat fourth seeds and former African Junior Champions, Ilze Hattingh and Madrie le Roux 7-5 6-3.
In honour of her achievement, her former school Our Lady of Fatima will be having an exhibition match with Michelle Sammons and the schools’ tennis team on Monday 23 June at 12.30pm.
