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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
EMAKHANDENI Tennis Club coach Khumbulani Tembo says they are confident of ensuring a safe return of players to the court, adhering to the strict Covid-19 safety regulations.
Despite a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases, Tembo remains confident that they can guarantee the safety of players.
“We are waiting to get an official clearance letter sometime next week so that we can begin training. Work has been done to ensure that our players make a safe return. Hopefully we will get the clearance and begin our training under strict guidelines,” said Tembo.
According to conditions set by the SRC, all tennis facilities are expected to appoint an enforcement officer that will ensure adherence to the guidelines.
The guidelines and requirements will cover players registered with Tennis Zimbabwe and have official clearance letters.
Apart from the usual guidelines of temperature checks, social distancing, washing of hands and wearing of masks, the coach will provide and pick all the practice balls.
For serve practice purposes, players have to provide their own numbered tennis balls, which they will collect at the end of the session.
For game situations, players also have to provide their own marked tennis balls.
The players will therefore only touch their own marked tennis balls during the match.
They will not be provided with chairs, unless the chairs are sanitised at the end of each session before another player comes in.
Only the coach can provide equipment like baskets, cones and ladders, which have to be sanitised after every session, and players’ bags are not allowed on the court. – @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter