adminNyarai Nechiturike and Molin Muza. Derek Ndaramashe will be in charge of the team.
The qualifiers will run from February 27 to March 3 at Kenyatta University, Nairobi while the finals are set for August in Japan.
Participants will battle it out in three categories – men, women and juniors.
WTAZ vice president, Olga Chisango, said the team have started preparations for the qualifiers.
“The team is now on an intensive training drive which will see them training every single day for the next three weeks with coach Derek Ndaramashe at the University of Zimbabwe,” said Chisango.
“The ladies have not been exposed to international competition regularly but we are hopeful that with the intensive training and coaching and the lure of travelling to Japan in August they will be spurred on to produce a miraculous performance at the qualifiers in Kenya.
“We want them to get exposure by participating in international events,” said Chisango.
Chisango said lack of resources have forced them to limit the number of teams they are fielding in the qualifiers.
“We are going to send a women’s team though there are three different divisions but due to limited resources we could only afford to send one team.
“The ITF has assisted the team with a US$1 500 grant but this amount covers the entry fees, meals and accommodation for the three players.
“The WTAZ now needs to source the flight fees for the team,” said Chisango.
The team needs US$6 000 to cater for transport, training camp, and spares for wheelchairs.
Meanwhile, junior player Shepherd Banda and his coach Petros Ndlovu returned home early this week from France where the former was taking part in the Cruyff Foundation Junior Masters – Les Petits – held from January 21 to 29.
Ndlovu said their participation in the tour was a good learning curve for the young players. “In terms of competition we gained a lot because the first three days we had a training camp where the players were trained by different coach and the guys
from ITF.
“When he played he performed well but he went short experience wise and that’s one area we saw that we need our players to play more matches and get them to play with the senior players,” said Ndlovu.
Online Reporter