daniel chigunwe
Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S Sasha Chimedza bowed out of the ongoing Africa Junior Championships 18-and-Under in Tunisia yesterday.
She went down to top seed, Aya El Aouni of Morocco, in the girls singles quarter-finals.
Chimedza lost 2-6, 0-6 to El Aouni.
Although she lost, the 14-year-old Chimedza gave a good account of herself, at the continental event.
She was the only Zimbabwean to reach the singles quarter-finals, out of the seven players who are representing the country, at the championships.
Zimbabwe are fielding players in both boys and girls sections.
Coach Martin Dzuwa, who travelled with the team, said it was good experience for Chimedza.
“She lost to the top seed . . . The other girl played better, she is quite good she doesn’t give you anything for free, so she had to come up with big shots, she made some mistakes.
“But, it was a good match.
“For her, it was a good run, going through to the quarter-finals,” said Dzuwa.
Chimedza was also scheduled to team up with Tadiwanashe Mauchi, for the girls doubles quarter-finals, late yesterday.
Rufaro Magarira, Tadiwanashe Mauchi, Ethan Sibanda and Takura Mhwandagara lost in the first round.
Tanyaradzwa Midzi and Lyle Zaloumis lost in the second round. Midzi and Magarira, however, reached the girls doubles quarter-finals and were also set to play late yesterday.
In the boys doubles, Sibanda and Mhwandagara, lost their quarter-final match.
“It’s the best 32 in Africa who are competing here in that age group, so the level of competition is quite high, and it’s a Grade Two event.
“I can say we are the same with the other players, I mean if you can play stroke to stroke, it means they are there.
“I think our level is not bad, just that these are top matches and playing here with North Africans, they were a bit disadvantaged,” said Dzuwa.
He believes there is potential to do better next year.
“It’s quite a young team, they have got potential to do better next year, even their ranking is going to improve, and it’s good exposure.
“It’s also good to have these young players playing at this level, the conditions are different from Southern Africa, but they managed to cope and it’s not easy,” said Dzuwa. Most of the players, except Rufaro Magarira, took part in the Crandrid International Tennis Federation World Junior Tour, less than two weeks ago in Harare, as part of their preparations, for the AJC.
Online Reporter