adminThe Bulawayo Open that precedes the Tarryn-Leigh De Souza Memorial competition ends on Sunday. The Tarryn-Leigh De Souza Memorial tournament will be played from 16-18 April.
The Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Tennis Board chairman Adam Joelson said the new playing format was good for developing youngsters.
“The world’s tennis governing body advised all national associations that their Under-10s must do away with playing in a full court as that was detrimental in the development of youngsters. It was also noted that for the Under-10s to enjoy playing tennis, they should play in smaller courts compared to that for the adults.
“This new idea we believe will go a long way in developing youngsters as well as making tennis fun for them,” said Joelson.
The country’s upcoming tennis players are expected to battle it out at the tournaments, which will be played at the Bulawayo Athletic Club, Girls’ College, Petra, Bulawayo Country Club and Whitestone.
Registration for both competitions that are being used for ranking of players ends tomorrow.
The Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Tennis Board boss said they were expecting at least 180 athletes to register for the tournaments.
“This is a tiring period for the players as they will be coming from the Manicaland Open and Zimbabwe Junior Open events that end today in Mutare. We expect most of those players that are participating in Mutare to travel to Bulawayo tomorrow for the Bulawayo Open and those who might decide to rest first will be here for the
Tarryn-Leigh De Souza Memorial which begins on Monday.
“Last year we had 120 entries for the Tarryn-Leigh De Souza competition and the event had some participants coming from outside Bulawayo. We are looking forward to having an improved turnout for both competitions. Already Botswana has confirmed that they will be sending their juniors and they will tell us the exact number of their athletes tomorrow morning. Besides those coming from Harare, Mutare, Gweru, Hwange, Gwanda and Kwekwe, we will also have players from Bulawayo taking part in the competitions,” said Joelson.
The Tarryn-Leigh De Souza Memorial tournament is meant to celebrate the life of one of the best tennis players to emerge from Bulawayo who died in 2009 due to heart failure.
Tarryn-Leigh represented Matabeleland and Zimbabwe in a number of tournaments at the age of 18 when she was ranked third in the country.
She won a scholarship to play and study at Oklahoma Christian University in the US in 2003 and at the time she left the country, she was one of the top players in the land.
She died when she had just graduated with a sporting degree.
Last year Brandon Levendale and Senzo Maphisa won the Under-18 boys and girls’ categories competitions.
Levendale beat Mthabisi Mhlanga 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the final while Maphisa thumped Thembela Ndlovu 6-4, 6-4 in the girls’ final.
Some of the players to watch at this year’s edition are Muzi Sibanda who won last year’s edition of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province’s Closed after beating Bryn Langley 7-5, 3-6, 10-3 in the boys’ Under-18 category, Ndlovu, Levendale, Harare’s Karen Machisa, Nikita Daka, Nothando Mashingaidze, Tafadzwa Mawisire, Natasha Mandeo, Nicole Dumbujena and Friedlanda Kanzombe.
Online Reporter