adminSenior Sports Reporter
THE glitz and glamour that had become synonymous with the NMB Manicaland Open Tennis Tournament over the years has suddenly disappeared after the competition saw males only taking to the court, while all other categories were struck off owing to biting financial constraints.
The annual tennis tournament usually attracts foreign players, but there was none at this year’s edition which was held at Mutare Girls’ High School courts last weekend.
Not even the American-based Pauline Chawafambira and Tendai Tapfuma — the defending men and women’s champions, respectively — could find time for the tournament.
Title sponsors, NMB and the provincial tennis board usually join hands in availing cash for prizes, but the latter failed to meet their end of the bargain hence winners from this years’ edition of the tournament got half the amount that winners from last year got.
Tournament co-ordinator, Freeman Nyamunokora, confirmed that all has not been rosy, not only for the annual competition, but for the game of tennis in general.
“Yes, we could not afford to give the winners the same amounts of prize money like what we gave last year simply because we did not have enough.
“NMB and the provincial tennis board usually join hands in availing cash for prizes, but the provincial tennis board did not avail anything this year.
“It was only NMB that gave US$2 000.
“Looking forward we hope we will have a much better tournament next year since NMB pledged to avail more financial resources towards the tournament.
“We also hope that the local corporate community will one day take us seriously and come on board as we strive to promote the talent that we have in the game of tennis,” said Nyamunokora.
There were a total of 22 entries for the males’ category.
Liberty Nzula beat Ngoni Makambwa 7-6; 7-6 to win the men’s title and walked away $550 richer, while his opponent received $300.
Losing semi-finalists were given $200 each.
Nzula progressed to the finals, thanks to a well-deserved 6-4; 7-5 triumph over Alwin Mushonga, while Makambwa booked a berth in the finals after dismissing second seed, Malcom Mutungamiri 6-1; 6-3.
In the doubles, Makambwa partnered Mushonga to win 6-4; 6-4 against the duo of Miracle Matanga and Innocent Mhere.
The winning doubles team got $200, while the losing finalists pocketed $130.
Last year’s participants got double of the prize money that winners’ from this year’s edition got.
Online Reporter