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Dowie completes maiden ITF title double

• 12 Hours Ago

One of Namibia’s brightest tennis prospects, Israel Dowie, has once again impressed on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) U18 Junior World Tennis Tour, claiming his maiden J60 singles title in Windhoek last weekend.

Dowie has been a force to be reckoned with on the tour, which began in Namibia’s capital on 20 April and concluded last Saturday at Olympia’s Central Tennis Courts.

In the first J30 tournament, held from 20 to 25 April, he stepped to the fore as the host country’s only player to reach both the singles and doubles finals.

Partnering South Africa’s Oluhle Senti in the boys’ doubles, Dowie claimed his first ITF doubles title. The pair later faced off in the singles final, both chasing a first ITF singles crown, with Dowie coming off second-best.

It was not the first time the 15-year-old had made headlines for punching above his weight. The rising racquet star has dominated courts in South Africa and won his first senior tournament in Cape Town in March last year.

At the J60 tournament, held from 27 April to 2 May, Dowie, seeded fourth, was once again Namibia’s standout performer, reaching both the boys’ singles and doubles finals.

Marathon three-setter

He first came up against South Africa’s Nicholas Kruger in a marathon three-setter that could have gone either way, holding his nerve through two tiebreaks and a tense deciding set to prevail 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 7-5.

Dowie’s second-round encounter was against Norway’s Nicolai Bjercke Johnson, who had earlier received a wildcard entry into the main draw. Dowie put him away comfortably with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

In the quarterfinals, Dowie cruised past South Africa’s Tshepang Maisela 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the semi-finals, where he faced Norway’s Mattis Thorsnes and won 6-3, 6-4 to book his place in the final.

The final saw him come up against second seed Juliusz Stanczyk, whom he overcame 6-2, 7-5 to lift the J60 singles title.

Speaking to Sport Wrap after claiming the title, Dowie said it felt more like a relief than anything else.

“I had made like 10 semi-finals in a row, and it feels like the breakthrough just wasn’t coming. But I never doubted my ability or my level [of competition]. I always knew that at some point the ceiling had to break,” he said.

‘Took it on the chin’

He also recounted his loss to hitting partner Senti in the J30 event as a hard pill to swallow, saying he responded by staying patient, finding rhythm and trusting the process.

“[Losing to Senti] was especially tough because I’ve beaten him many times before, so that one hurt. I had to take it on the chin and move on. But I’m really happy I could come back and make it count [this time],” he said.

Dowie credited the victory to his team, comprising his father and coach Duane, as well as coach Tom Hoppe, whom he said have been behind him every step of the way. He also thanked the Namibian crowd for making the win “even more special”.

Regarding his final against Stanczyk, Dowie said he and his team studied the second seed’s style of play heading into the encounter.

“At this level, there aren’t many obvious weaknesses. It’s all about playing smart and playing where your opponent can hurt you the least and waiting on the right moments to step in and dominate,” he said.

He further pointed out that decision-making was key, highlighting four crucial points that helped swing momentum in his favour: a risky drop shot at 30-30 that paid off, two backhand passing shots and a backhand down the line.

Better execution

Looking back on his run to the title, Dowie said he was proud of his overall performance, adding that he stuck to his identity and executed better when it mattered, especially in his sternest test against Kruger in the first round.

“That match took everything out of me. I felt like an escape artist getting through it. But sometimes those matches shape your tournament. From there, I found my level and grew stronger as the week went on,” he said.

Dowie also partnered Senti in the J60 doubles and the pair powered through to the final, where they suffered a 6-4, 6-4 defeat to Portugal’s Francisco Sardinha and the Philippines’ Brice Vincent Baisa.

“We were a bit unlucky with the schedule, as we had to play three matches in one day. By the time we got to the final, we were exhausted.

“Our hearts were fully in it, but our bodies didn’t have enough left. Still, making the final is a big positive, and we take confidence from that,” he said.

‘Unforgettable experience’

Asked about the confidence gained from completing a maiden ITF title double, having won singles and doubles titles in less than two weeks, Dowie said any win builds belief.

“I won nine out of 10 singles matches and seven out of eight doubles matches in the last two weeks.

“I couldn’t be happier with my team and the Namibian crowd for making this experience unforgettable. I’ve never experienced that kind of support courtside before,” he noted.

Dowie’s father, Duane, called for support towards the young court talent’s career, noting that his tennis coaching costs N$15 000 a month.

“We appreciate all the help we can get, especially financially. Tennis is a very expensive sport because it involves travelling to different nations. If he doesn’t travel, he doesn’t build a world ranking, which will defeat the purpose,” he said.

Other Namibian players

Namibia fielded six players at the J60 tournament, with Dowie competing in the boys’ division alongside Ruben Yssel, Johan Nicolaas Theron and Henlout du Toit. Mari van Schalkwyk and Joanivia Bezuidenhout competed in the girls’ division.

Van Schalkwyk impressed in the doubles alongside South African partner Megan van Vuuren, with the pair finishing as runners-up after falling short in the final.

The rest of the contingent either exited in the first round or could not advance beyond the second round in both singles and doubles.

– mariud@nsh.com.na