The New Winners and Super Eight tennis tournaments got entered the second day at Harare Sports Club yesterday as local junior players try to shake the festive season rust ahead of the African Junior Championships Zone VI qualifiers which run from January 8-14 in Windhoek, Namibia.
There were no major upsets in all the age group categories ahead of the semi-finals today with the only worry being the injury shoulder injury to Tadiwa Chinamo which saw him miss yesterday’s round robin matches in the Super Eight tournament.
Chinamo, who is in Zimbabwe’s 11-member team for the qualifiers in Namibia where is in the boys’ Under 14 category ended up withdrawing from the tourney as a precautionary measure having won both his matches.
However, there were no such worries for Beverly Matsiwe and Kimberly Bhunu who will also represent Zimbabwe in the girls’ Under-12 as they easily won all their matches in their respective pools matches and will today meet Danai Chinamo and Munashe Kaone in the semi-finals respectively.
In the girls’ Under-16 category, Latifa Yasini and Finnigan Zarah also justified their selection into the Zimbabwe team after booking their places in today’s semis where they will come face to face.
Tariro Dembo and Wendy Rudhu who were also dominant in the girls’ Under 16 category will battle it out in the other semi-final.
In the New Winners’ tournament’s Under-18 category Simba Mtetwa will today meet Takudzwa Tsapayi in the first semi-final. Mtetwa dismissed Kudzi Marozva 6-4, 6-4 while Tsapayi knocked out George Kuodza 6-2, 6-0 in straight sets.
The other semi-final will see Mufaro Mukome, who beat Takudzwa Imbayago 6-1, 6-1 lock horns with Jorum Mokono whose opponent Male Kaletso didn’t show up.
