Mantas moulds more stars
RENOWNED Mutare Mantas Tennis Academy continues to make life changing moves for its products, with the latest being Munashe Marume, who has joined a number of fellow stars from the eastern border city at Benedict College in the United States of America.
Marume left the country last Tuesday. Since the formation of Mantas Tennis Academy in 1987, and the subsequent makeover into a fully-fledged academy at the turn of the millennium, more than 70 players from the academy have migrated to the United States of America where they partake in more professional college tennis leagues while pursuing their academic studies.
The likes of Genius Chidzikwe, Mbonisi and Sibusiso Ndimande, Takudzwa and Keren Muswere, Pauline Chawafambira, Beverly Matsiwe, Ronzai Saurombe and Panashe Gara, to mention a few, walked through the same path.
Mantas Tennis Academy head coach, Vincent Nyatoti confirmed Marume’s latest move.
“We are glad to announce the recent departure of one of our stars, Munashe Marume to the United States of America where he will be playing college tennis and pursuing his studies.
“He joins the long list of Mutare tennis players who have gone through the same path and we have no doubt that we will continue to have more taking the same route,” said Nyatoti.
Marume, a former St Dominic’s High School and Rock of Ages learner, was awarded a full four-year engineering programme scholarship at Benedict College.
On the selection criterion of beneficiaries of scholarships, Nyatoti said: “As a sport based scholarship, they check the player’s ability as well as best grades academically for one to be considered. Just like Munashe Marume who got a full four-year engineering scholarship after completing his A-Level studies at Rock of Ages School, he fitted in well for the programme.”
Currently, at Benedict College there are four Mantas Tennis Academy products namely Anesu Kwirirai, Richard Ngwarwi and Tanatswa Musabaeka, while Batsirai Saurombe and Gara have since graduated from the same college.
Meanwhile, Mutare’s Mantas Tennis Academy has set out its calendar for the 2023 season which will see the prestigious competition formerly known as Mantas Open, now the Thomas Franklin Martin Memorial competition, being held from April 28 to May 1.
The Manicaland Open kicks off thereafter.