All set for squash tourney

Mzingaye Sibanda
THE Safeguard Zimbabwe Open Squash Championships get underway at Suburbs Squash Club in Bulawayo, tomorrow. Safeguard have sponsored the event to the tune of $5 000 and it promises to be an exciting three-day tournament. The winners are expected to walk away $1 000 richer in each category. Matabeleland Squash Association’s secretary Melody Mwete said preparations are on course with about 76 participants registered so far. The process is on-going.  Mwete said the tournament would also feature participants from Botswana, Zambia and Malawi.

“The preparations are going well, we have about 76 registered participants so far and we are still expecting more, some of them are coming from Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and there are also Zimbabweans based in the US,” said Mwete.

United States-based Zimbabwean, Busani Xaba is taking part in the men’s category.
Xaba and Harare based Admire Magwaza are some of the favourites and a threat to defending champion Mwinga Lengwe in the men’s title.

Zimbabwe squash open doubles defending champions Neil Nesbitt and Mike Burns are eyeing their 10th consecutive title.
Last year Nesbitt and Burns beat the Zambian pair of Lengwe and Enos Mwale in the final.

This year Nesbitt and Burns face stiff competition from Zambians Ray Simbule and Richard Twali, Lengwe and Mwale as well as the Zimbabwean-Zambian pairing of Trevor Williams and Ken Mwape.

Zambian Sharon Chimfembwe who lost in the final last year to Sharon Le Roux is expected to shine in the women’s category.
Faizal Jassat is expected to defend her  title.