ZIMBABWE’S team of 11 players reached the second round of the International Tennis Federation (ITF)’s Southern African Junior Championships which started in Windhoek on Sunday where close to 100 junior tennis players are participating.
REPORT BY VITALIS MOYO SPORTS REPORTER In the boys’ under-12 category, Valentine Munyawiri beat Namibia’s Steenkamp Mans 6-0, 6-0 while Tinashe Hwata won 6-0, 6-0 against Madubula Dlamini of Swaziland and 6-0, 6-0 against Hospen Delspin of Namibia.
In the boys under-14s, Batsirai Saruombe annihilated Thato Holmes of Botswana 6-0, 6-1 and Sethu Shabangu of Swaziland 6-0, 6-0 while Mehluli Sibanda beat Gawanab Dantago of Namibia 6-2, 6-2 and Sakhile Shabangu of Swaziland 6-0, 6-0.
In the Girls Under-14 category, Kimberly Bhunu was a 6-2, 6-0 winner over Sylvia Schultz of Namibia but lost 0-6, 1-6 to Neelo Bapelo of Botswana. Karen Machisa beat Priscilla Mayuka of Zambia 6-3, 6-3.
In the Under-16 girls’ section, Nicole Dzenga thrashed Nompendulo Ntshangase of Swaziland 6-0, 6-0 while Karen Muswere beat Tawana Botho of Botswana 6-1, 6-2.
Alwyn Mushonga whitewashed Senkosi Siwela 6-0, 6-0 of Swaziland while Julius Mtetwa overcame Lumeta Chisomo of Malawi 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 but lost to Ratsimandresy Andritokiana of Madagascar 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.
The top seven players in the singles categories will gain automatic qualification for the African Junior Championships which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya in April this year.
In the team competition, each country’s ranking will be determined on the basis of points accumulated in the boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles competitions, with the winning nation set to receive the ITF/CAT Southern African Junior Championships Team Trophy.
