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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
TENNIS Zimbabwe will early next year send 11 players to compete in the African Junior Championships Zonal in Gaborone, Botswana.
The tournament runs from January 5-11 with participants from different countries taking part in the Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 age-groups.
In the boys section, Zimbabwe will be represented by Tadiwa Chinamo and Julius Mutetwa (Under-16), Dennis Moses and Tanaka Chabata (Under-14) and Tatenda Mutetwa (Under-12).
Rufaro Chirewa and Karen Machisa will battle it out in the girls’ Under-16 while Kimberly Bhunu and Beverly Matsiwe will fight for honours in the Under-14 age group.
The pair of Vimbai Moyo and Charlotte Zhuwakini will compete in the Under-12 age group. The tournament is a qualifier for the Under-14 and Under-16 junior championships to be held between March and April in Nairobi, Kenya.
The players are expected to head for Botswana on January 3 accompanied by Miracle Matanga and Nomvelo Ngwenya as the coaches.
Matanga said the home-based players are expected to have a camp from December 31 to January 2.
“Basically, I have called for a camp from December 31 to January 2. We are hoping to leave on the January 3 and the games start on the 5th.
“There has been good response, we have three guys in South Africa – Julius, Tatenda and Dennis. I don’t think they will make it for the camp but they have been playing pre-tournaments to prepare for that tournament.
“We have some players who have been there early this year and considering that I hope that they will deliver. We have new players from Under-12, those we are giving them a chance and trying to expose them,” said Matanga.
This year Zimbabwe finished third at the same tournament and TZ administrator Cliff Nhokwara, said they hope the players will do better next year as most of them have been to the competition before.
“We came third last year and out of the 11 players, we had the Under-12s who do not go for the finals, it’s for the Under-14s and Under-16s.
“And of those, we had six in the finals, only two didn’t qualify. I am hoping all the Under-14s and Under-16s should qualify for the AJC finals.
“We are still considered part of the elite developing nations in the continent and the Southern region. Usually it’s South Africa, us, Mauritius and Madagascar. I hope with time we will be able to challenge South Africa,” said Nhokwara.
Meanwhile, TZ will host the New Winners tournament from January 7-10 at Harare Sports Club.
Online Reporter