Tennis: Shika bounces back at McDan tourney
Teenage tennis sensation Shika McKorley bounced back from a disappointing loss in last week's Foundation Training Matches by winning the U-16 Girls final last Saturday.
Shika, 13, came from a set down to defeat Tracy Ampah of the Tarkwa Goldfields Tennis Academy 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.
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The same unforced errors that characterised Shika's loss to Mariama Ibrahim in the seniors plagued her in the opening set but she recovered late in the second set courtesy her powerful serve.
She went on to close out the tie against a tiring Ampah by claiming the final set 6-1.
Sheer delight
After claiming her prizes in front of her delighted parents, Shika attributed her success to a change in mindset after going a set down.
"I feel great, I just changed my mindset to just having fun and playing what I know and just not rushing. I want to take tennis to the highest. I feel so excited and proud that my dad could see me lift this trophy today," Shika told the Daily Graphic in a post-match interview.
The boys final was a much more straightforward affair with Abubakari Yakubu Lea Jnr defeated Lameck Bagerbaseh 6-1, 6-1 to claim the U-16 Boys’ title.
Yakubu Lea Jnr, 14, said he was motivated to buck the trend which had seen him lose the last two meetings against Bagerbaseh.
"I have lost twice to him, so when I was going to play I was a little bit furious because I didn't want to lose and thankfully, I won in two straight sets," he said.
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The St John’s Grammar Senior High School (SHS) student said his main target as a tennis player was to play at the highest level of the sport like his hero, Roger Federer.
Other winners
Angel Bagerbaseh defeated Lisel Ampah 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to win the marathon Girls’ U-12 final, which lasted four hours and Donatus Nyaaba beat Godfred Ofori 6-1, 6-1 to win the Boys’ U-12 final.
In the U-14 category, Joseph Koku Doe-Adjani won the boys’ title with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Aaron Armaah and Doris Adjokatse conquered Alice Acheampong 6-3, 6-3 to claim the girls’ title.
All the finalists were presented with trophies, medals, educational supplies and tennis equipment.