adminThe 13 players will battle it out with other continent’s best competitors in the Under-12s and 14s’ boys and girls’ categories from 27-30 August.
Spokesman for the GC Tennis Centre Adam Joelson said financial constraints led to them withdrawing from Burundi and Rwanda competitions.
He said the 13 players would still get a chance to exhibit their talent before ITF scouts and enhance their opportunities to get scholarships from the tennis federation in South Africa.
“Our coffers are dry and we failed to raise funds for the Burundi and Rwanda trip hence the decision to opt for the circuits in Bloemfontein. We will still take 13 players for the trip. These youngsters will get to exhibit their talent. Who knows, they might even get the attention of ITF scouts and if they impress they might get scholarships,” said Joelson.
ITF has a high performance centre in Pretoria and there are some players like former national Under-14 girls’ champion Karen Machisa of Manicaland who have been attached there.
Girls College’s duo of Nikita Daka who has many accolades to her name and Lezinhle Sibanda who lost to Daka in the semi-finals of this year’s edition of the Tarryn-Leigh De Souza Memorial tournament will lead the Under-14s’ girls team for South Africa.
The boys’ Under-14 team has Hillary Ncube and Ariel Arunatha with the Under-12s made up of Nicholas Barrow and Collen Ndebele.
The only out of Bulawayo player in the squad is Natasha Dhlamini, a pupil at Coalfields Primary School in Hwange who will compete in the Under-12s category.
Team
Under-12s (boys): Nicholas Barrow (Petra), Collen Ndebele (St Thomas)
Under-12s (girls): Zandile Mguni, Thabisile Dube (both Dominican Convent), Anopa Madziva (Petra), Natasha Dhlamini (Coalfields)
Under-14s (boys): Hillary Ncube (St Columbus), Ariel Arunatha (home scholar)
Under-14s (girls): Nikita Daka, Lezinhle Sibanda, Anisha Dhlamini, Audrey Mupozori (all Girls College), Kuziva Kunaka (Dominican Convent)
Online Reporter