By YVONNE SAKALA-
UNSEEDED Dinesh Thampi caused a major upset beating seed one Willie Mungalu to win the 2014 Inter Continental Open tennis tournament held in Lusaka.
Thampi put up a spirited fight during the tournament played at the Hotel court to beat Mungalu 2-1 in a first set that needed the former to win by a tie breaker 7-5 before losing the second 2-6 but wrapped up the third set with a 6-4 win to walk away with K1,000 and a six-month free gymnasium membership.
Mungalu got K800 and two months free membership at the hotel gymnasium.
To reach the finals, Thampi was unstoppable beating fourth seed Soren Johannsen 2-0 in the semi finals with set scores of 7-6, 6-3 while Mungalu overcame Steve Marthias 6-1,6-3.
Johannsen then teamed up with Mungalu to easily win the doubles final following a walkover over the duo of Chinyanta Kanyembo and Francis Mwandila, who surprisingly failed to show up in the finals.
The pair walked away with vouchers and a weekend stay for two at InterContinental Hotel plus K500 cash each while the runners-up walked away with a dinner for two and K 400 cash each.
In woman event, Wendy Zydel emerged winner in the category that was played on round robin basis after accumulating two points.
Zydel beat Besty Burhkhader and Jessica Price to be crowned champion to walk away with a six months free gymnasium membership.
Meanwhile, tournament organiser Teddy Chambisha said the competition was a success and that the players did not only participant for the sake of winning but for their well being.
Hotel Intercontinental public relations manager Veronica Mumba said the hotel was planning to make the event an annual tournament.
Mumba expressed gratitude to the sponsor of the tournament, Nicholas Chizyuka of Circle Transtra International Limited, for coming on board to sponsor the competition and also Pamalat for the drinks for the players.