adminAMBROSE CHIGAAZIRA took it upon himself to ensure his son’s tennis dream stayed alive under the most difficult of circumstances, living up to the adage, “Where there is a will there is a way”.
Unable to afford the services of a professional coach, Chigaazira took it upon himself to teach his then seven-year-old son Mark the game.
Chigaazira knew a few tennis basics but had no coaching experience so this was all about trial and error.
After 12 tumultuous years, the Chigaaziras realised a dream they have shared since the day Mark first picked up a racket.
In July, Mark was called up to the Zimbabwe Davis Cup team as a replacement for the injured Courtney Lock ahead of the Africa Zone Group III tournament in Egypt.
“That meant a lot,” said the senior Chigaazira. “Yes, Mark didn’t play in Egypt but the fact that he was part of the team was a massive achievement on our part. It’s what we badly wanted and achieving it made us believe and yearn for more.”
Chigaazira said he only got help with coaching his son when Mark won a few local age group competitions.
“When we started some observers laughed at us but when the results started coming through, a few guys with the expertise offered to help. It reached a point whereby I felt the time had come for me to step away from coaching and concentrate on managing my son’s career,” he said.
Mark has been through the hands of coaches like Linsent Chitiyo and Shepherd Manyumbu.
The 19-year-old player is based in South Africa where he is developing under the watch of Ngoni Chizunza.
“I moved to Johannesburg to seek better coaching and competition,” explained Mark. “Here, my day revolves around tennis. I leave the house at six o’clock to make practice at 8.30 where the programme is up to my coach Ngoni or the other coaches at Real Athletes Tennis Academy headed by Earl Grainger. It’s hard work but to make it in this sport one has to work for the success.”
Mark, who fell in love with tennis during the twilight of the iconic Wayne Black’s career, is looking forward to making his Davis Cup debut.
“Playing in the Davis Cup is something I have always dreamt of ever since the day I watched the tie between Zimbabwe and Israel around the time Wayne Black was retiring,” he said.
The player – ranked 1 351 by the International Tennis Federation – said he owed those who stood by him to put up a good show.
“I’m more driven by the people supporting me; friends and family support than my personal success,” he said. “My aunt, Crescentia Sithole, does a lot of running around and makes me believe that when you leave everything to God, things will come right.”
Online Reporter