Zim U-14 impress at African tennis championships

Nkosilathi Sibanda, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S second seeds Claire Machisa and Michael Happy settled for third place in the girls’ and boys’ categories of the Under-14 International Tennis Federation African Junior Championships Circuit that ended at the Bulawayo Athletic Club yesterday.

Machisa and Happy will lead Zimbabwe’s contingent to the second leg of the tournament in Botswana this weekend. Mavhisa will be joined by Bulawayo’s Nicole Matukutire, Hailey Banda and Lyle Zaloumis in Botswana.

The Zimbabwe leg of the circuit was won by South African Line Greyling, who beat Namibia’s Hendriana Apollus 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 in the final.

The South African’s triumph is testimony of the country’s status as an uncontested powerhouse in tennis in the region.

In the third place play-off, Machisa pulled a straight two set win on hard court over Botswana’s hard hitting Leungo Monnayo 6-1, 6-4.

Although Monnayo lost, it was clear from the second set that she gave Machisa a hard time by trying to level the game.

In the boys’ category, Happy posted a 2-6, 7-6, 10-6 win over South Africa’s Gerad Henning.

Not be outdone was young Zaloumis, who was on top of his game despite settling for seventh place in the first round of the circuit. So flawless was the Zimbabwe team’s game that it earned the host country one of the most sought after teams in Africa Junior tennis.

Zimbabwe’s undoing was with the serves and seemingly low ball returns in the first games.

However, players picked pace and maintained composure as the tournament progressed to the quarter-final stage.

Other notable Zimbabwe players that helped push the team to a respectable finish are Lynn Paivha, Victoria Sansika, Munashe Beta, Bukhosi Moyo, Joseph Magutshwa, Thando Siziba and Emmanuel Mpanduki.