Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira
IT started on the streets of Barbados. Now it’s bouncing through Zimbabwe’s townships, schools, and dusty rural courts.
Road Tennis, the fast-growing, street-smart cousin of the elite lawn game, has officially landed in Zimbabwe and it’s already turning heads and changing lives.
Behind the revolution is Mthandazo Ngwenya, the firebrand founder of the Zimbabwe Professional Road Tennis Association (ZPRTA), who launched the local push in 2023.
“This is more than just a game. It’s a movement. It’s about unity, inclusion, and creating spaces for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together,” said Ngwenya.
Forget expensive rackets and fancy courts. Road Tennis keeps it raw and real. All you need is two wooden bats, a stripped tennis ball, and a 21×10 feet court with a wooden net just 8 inches high. First to 21 wins. But the real victory? Community, connection, and competition.
From Mbare to Mutoko, over 100 players have already been certified with representation in every province. And this is just the beginning.
ZPRTA has teamed up with the global big boys, the Professional Road Tennis Association (PRTA), who are fired up about Zimbabwe’s embrace of the game.
“We’re excited about the energy coming out of Zimbabwe. This is how global sport grows, from the streets up,” said PRTA president Dale Clarke.
Ngwenya isn’t stopping here. His goal is to make Zimbabwe the heartbeat of professional Road Tennis in Africa.
“The time is now,” he declared. “We’re not just catching up with the world. We’re setting the pace.”
So next time you hear the thwack of a wooden racket in your neighbourhood, stop and take note. That’s the sound of a sport exploding into Zimbabwean culture.
Fast. Fun. For everyone.
Road Tennis has arrived.
