In the Men’s Singles (Section B), Wayne Rittmuller set the tone early as the first Team SA athlete in competition. Facing Singapore’s Harriman Yuen, the South African veteran showed no early jitters, commanding the green to secure a comprehensive 2-0 victory (9-0, 7-4).
Rittmuller was flawless in the first set, picking up two shots on both the third and fifth ends to breeze to a 9-0 shutout after seven ends. He carried that momentum straight into the second set, establishing a quick 3-0 lead by the first end and stretching it to 6-2 by the fifth. Though Yuen managed to pick up a few late points, Rittmuller held firm to close it out 7-4.
“It’s my second Commonwealth Games and I was nervous early on but after the first two ends I settled down and started playing like I can,” Rittmuller shared after the match. “I’ve played quite a bit indoors overseas, but you’ve still got to get used to it as it’s a little quicker than what we experience, but I’m loving it and the new set up.”
Rittmuller acknowledges he’s in a tough group with competitors from New Zealand and Ireland, but next faces Norfolk Island’s Mitchell Graham, who received a bye in his opening round.
Heartbreak in the Women's Pairs
Over in the Women’s Pairs (Section B), Thabelo Muvhango and Jacqui Janse van Rensburg found themselves in an absolute thriller against Tonga’s Paris Baker and Milika Nathan.
The South African duo initially squandered a fast 4-0 lead in the first set, allowing Tonga to fight back and claim the opener 7-4. Muvhango and Janse van Rensburg regrouped superbly, bouncing back with authority to take the second set 7-1 and force a sudden-death tie-breaker.
Unfortunately, the momentum swung back to the Pacific islanders in the crucial final end. Tonga executed perfectly under pressure to take the tie-breaker 3-0, clinching the match.
Looking Ahead to Day 2
Team SA will be looking to build on their opening performances with a packed schedule tomorrow:
- Para Mixed Pairs (B2-B3): Princess Schroeder (Lead) alongside her director Graham Ward, and skip Keith Orrell with director Trevor Freeman will begin their campaign.
- Women’s Pairs: Muvhango and Janse van Rensburg will look to bounce back immediately as they take on India in their second sectional match.
- Men’s Singles: Rittmuller will aim to go two-for-two when he squares off against Mitchell Graham.
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