Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE’S junior players managed only 10 main-draw singles victories from 35 entries across two ITF World Tennis Tour J100 tournaments in Harare, with none reaching the semi-finals.
Chanelle Tariro Zhuwakini and Makanaka Whata were the only home players to reach the quarter-finals, earning 20 ITF junior singles ranking points each.
Zhuwakini made the last eight of the girls’ competition in the first tournament, held from August 3 to 8, while Whata reached the boys’ quarter-finals in the second event from August 10 to 15.
Simphiwe Malunguza and Rutendo Mavhenyengwa collected 20 points apiece after reaching the second round of both tournaments. Elroi Chiripamberi and Kayla Mba earned 10 points each after making the second round of the second event.
All six Zimbabwean boys entered in the opening tournament were eliminated in the first round. Of the nine home players in the girls’ draw, Zhuwakini reached the quarter-finals, while Malunguza and Mavhenyengwa made the second round.
Zimbabwe fielded 20 players in the second tournament, but 15 went out in the opening round.
Sean Taruberekera, who was called up to Zimbabwe’s Davis Cup team in June, lost in the first round of both tournaments.
Taruberekera and Zamani Moyo were the two juniors included in Zimbabwe’s Davis Cup squad for the Africa Group IV tournament in Kenya.
Zimbabwe topped Group B after beating Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 and Mozambique 3-0.
The Courtney Lock-captained side then lost 2-0 to Ghana in the promotion play-off, leaving Zimbabwe in Africa Group IV for the 2027 edition. Ghana and Algeria secured the two promotion places.
“I think the team did very well for such a young and inexperienced side, topping their group only to falter at the last hurdle,” said Tennis Zimbabwe acting president Glory Gijima.
Zimbabwe’s immediate target is promotion to Africa Group III, where the top three countries qualify for the following year’s World Group II play-offs.
That leaves the country several steps below the level reached by Byron and Wayne Black.
The brothers helped Zimbabwe qualify for the Davis Cup World Group before upsetting Australia 3-2 away in the first round in 1998. Zimbabwe then lost to Italy in the quarter-finals.
Gijima remains confident that the junior programme can eventually provide the players needed to begin that climb.
“Yes, we have it within us to climb back to the Davis Cup elite groups, especially with our juniors doing so well,” she said.
“We have many grassroots development programmes, starting from age groups as young as 12 and 14, right up to the Under-18s.
“We have been sending them to regional and international events so that we give them exposure and the required experience, so that they will be ready when the time comes.”
Gijima has previously estimated that about five years would be needed to address weaknesses in the development system, although Zimbabwe’s immediate Davis Cup target is promotion to Africa Group III.
The programme includes the Junior Tennis Initiative in schools and universities, as well as efforts to bring back play-ers studying at colleges in the United States, Canada and Australia for national assignments.
Gijima pointed to the Under-14 girls’ performance at a Confederation of African Tennis tournament in Mozambique as evidence of the talent coming through the younger age groups.
“Most recently, our Under-14 girls were in Mozambique at a Confederation of African Tennis event and finished second behind South Africa to progress to the finals.
“If you look back at the Annual National Sports Awards, Ruvarashe Makunike and Sasha Chimedza emerged as big winners, as testimony to their exploits,” she said.
Makunike won the Junior Sportsperson and Junior Sportswoman of the Year awards and was also nominated for the Regional Annual Sports Awards in Luanda. Chimedza was named Sportswoman of the Year.
The Zim Closed Open gets underway today before the Inter-Provincials are held in Kwekwe next weekend.
