peterMehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN Tanyaradzwa Midzi lost in the final of the Cranrid ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors at the Bulawayo Country Club yesterday.
Midzi lost to South African Celina Joseph 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
The Zimbabwean had done well to win the first set only for the South African to fight her way back into the contest to take the second and third sets.
Calum Jestin of South Africa won the boys final with a win over Hanu Patel of the United States of America 6-7, 6-1, 6-2.
To make it to the final, Midzi was too strong for Sophia Fuller of South Africa with scores of 6-2, 6-1 while Joseph came from a set down to see off Herena Voaviandraina of Madagascar 1-6, 6-2, 6-0.
In the semi-finals for boys, Patel beat Joseph Townes of South Africa 7-5, 7-5 and Jestin defeated fellow countryman Yarona Morule 6-3, 6-0.
Jestin and Townes teamed up to beat Luke Bowman and Patel 6-4, 6-2 in the boys doubles final.
The girls doubles was won by Zimbabwean Tadiwanashe Mauchi, the sponsor’s daughter who partnered with Fuller to overcome the South African duo of Joseph and Che Nel 6-4, 7-6.
Cranrid Petroleum chief executive officer, Peter Mauchi said his company decided to sponsor tennis for the juniors so as to give Zimbabwean youngsters an opportunity to earn some ITF points.
“As Cranrid, we realised that our juniors were not getting enough support and exposure.
If you go to other countries like Morocco, Tunisia, North Africa and East Africa, a lot of corporates there they support junior tournament and junior development.
So, this is not our first time, we started last year and Cranrid is the first company to support junior tennis in Zimbabwe.
We realised for us to give them a chance where they can earn a few points, let’s bring the tournaments here,’’ Mauchi said.
Cliff Nhokwara, the Tennis Zimbabwe administrator said it is noble for the growth of the sport in Zimbabwe when the country gets to host ITF tournaments.
“It’s always good for our tennis development to host these events in Zimbabwe, let alone when we go into our provinces like hosting it here in Bulawayo.
It gives a platform for everyone, lots of kids from Bulawayo to participate in and get a chance to get world recognition, get points and play internationally should they prefer or use the same points to get scholarships at American universities,’’ Nhokwara said.
While the first tournament concluded yesterday, the qualifiers for the second event got underway on the same day with almost the same players taking part.
The second tournament, also sponsored by Cranrid Petroleum officially starts tomorrow and ends on Saturday. Cranrid are also sponsoring three tournaments in Harare in August. — Follow on Twitter @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter