Auto-Equip Car Wash Open tournament |23 July 2004

In the mixed doubles finals, the pair of Tim Horpinitch and Clyvie Delpeche will meet the duo of Steven Rideau-Mein and Marie-May Isnard.
In the first semifinal on Wednesday (July 21), Horpinitch and Delpeche had to sweat it out to pull off a 2-0 (6-3 7-6) victory over Anthony Brioche and Fatim Kanté to book a place in the final.
 
As for Rideau-Mein and Isnard, they collected a 2-0 (6-1 7-5) win over André Derjacques and Zenab Kanté in the second last-four stage match after having eliminated Gian Carlo Lauro and Jennifer Bonne in the quarterfinal.

To clinch a place in Wednesday's semifinals, former Seychelles national team coach Horpinitch and Praslinois Delpeche first had to overcome the challenge of former male number one player Selwyn Knowles and teammate Sarah René on a 2-0 (6-3 6-3) score.

Knowles and René had eased past the pair of Stephen Ah-Moye and Julie Fayon on a 2-0 (6-2 6-3) score in the quarterfinal.

As for the men's doubles, only one finalist was known by Thursday as the second semifinal was to be played later in the evening.

Horpinitch and Darren Dine outclassed the Italian pair of Gian Carlo Lauro and Marco Rigamonti to book their tickets for this afternoon's final.
In the other semifinal, which was to be played Thursday, Daryl Nourrice and Stephen Ah- Moye were to take on Rideau-Mein and Anthony Brioche.

Meanwhile, the identity of the fourth men's singles semifinalist was also known on Wednesday. Daryl Nourrice will join Rideau-Mein, Bernard Mein and Anthony Brioche in Friday's semis.

Nourrice booked his place in the semifinal with a 2-1 (0-6 6-3 7-5) win over Ronny Ah-Shung in the last quarterfinal match.
He will now play Rideau-Mein, who beat Mervyn Laporte 2-0 (6-1 6-1), Selwyn Knowles 2-0 (6-4 1-0 {abandoned}) and André Derjacques 2-1 (6-4 5-7 6-3) on the way to reaching the semis.

The other semifinal is a match-up between Bernard Mein and Anthony Brioche. Mein beat Carlo Lauro 2-1 (6-2 3-6 6-4), Darren Dine 2-0 (6-4 7-6) and Maxwell Fock-Tave 2-0 (6-3 6-4) to reach the semifinal.
Brioche, for his part, was seeded straight into the second round before beating his father Philip on a 2-1 (6-2 5-7 6-4) score and hammering Stefan Romain 2-0 (6-2 6-4).

The two women's semifinals were also to take place Thursday. In the first semifinal, Fatim Kanté, who whitewashed Jourdanne Mellie 2-0 (6-1 6-1) in the second round and outplayed Peggy Chang-Tave 2-0 (6-3 6-4) in the quarterfinal, was to clash against young Clyvie Delpeche who collected victories over Linda Samson 2-1 (6-4 6-7 6-2) and Ella René 2-0 (6-3 6-2).

Fatim's twin sister, Zenab, a winner against Gloria Lauro 2-0 (6-1 6-1) and Damienne Morel 2-0 (6-1 6-1), was to take on Sarah René who eliminated Annabelle Constance 2-0 (6-0 6-0) and walked over Stephanie Ah-Shung.

The men's and women's singles finals will be played Saturday (July 24), starting at 4 p.m.
A spokesperson for the Seychelles Tennis Association (STA) has described the tournament as exciting, entertaining and fun.

"The competition has attracted a number of the country's top players and this makes it very exciting, entertaining and fun. It is tough and everyone is giving their utmost to clinch the top honours. The finals promise nothing else but more fun, entertainment and excitement for players and supporters alike," the spokesman said.

C. J.