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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
TENNIS Zimbabwe have engaged the Sports Commission as they seek to host three International Tennis Federation 18-and-Under tournaments before the end of the year in Harare. They usually host the events in August for three consecutive weeks but the tournaments were put on hold due the Covid-19-induced lockdown. However, with sport back following the relaxation of the lockdown, the national association is working towards hosting the tournaments between October and November.
TZ manager, Cliff Nhokwara, confirmed that they have made some progress and the events are already on the ITF provisional calendar pending approval from the Sports Commission.
“We are in the process of getting approval, there is one aspect left from the Sports Commission. For international events they have to put it in writing. We have been promised to get that letter this week, so once we get that letter we submit it to ITF.
“We are likely to have our events end of October to November. We are on the provisional calendar pending the submission of that letter from the Sports Commission.
“We are still planning on three weeks but prior to the 18s we have a 12-and-Under team event. We are likely to have it early October. Obviously it’s subject to regional countries making up teams,” Nhokwara said.
Nhokwara said players can now train but under the Covid-19 protocols.
“Tennis courts are now open but obviously following the Covid-19 protocols. We require coaches to have taken the vaccine and also we encourage those players above 14 to have been vaccinated before they start participating. It’s Government requirement and we are enforcing it and all the other Covid-19 protocols,” said Nhokwara.
For the junior players, the tournaments will be something to look forward to since they have not had much competition.
“It gives our upcoming players the opportunity to get world recognition, get points because when they play ITF tournaments obviously they get rankings that way they can decide to play bigger events and they can use the points for scholarships.
“Obviously US colleges also look at information from the ITF for their recruitment purposes. So that gives our kids that window for recruitment,” Nhokwara said.
The national association was hoping to add four more events, two in Bulawayo and another two in Harare, besides the usual tournaments they hold but with the changes to their schedule it may not be possible.
“It’s highly unlikely to have another four. We are likely to have two, unfortunately we have to share the dates with other regional countries.
“For now we have been guaranteed those three but the other four we don’t have the guarantee. The plan was to have two in Harare and two in Bulawayo,” said Nhokwara.
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