International tennis back in Byo

BULAWAYO Country Club will host its second international tournament beginning today as six Zimbabweans participate in the Under-12 Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) competition.

The tournament runs until October 17 and Tennis Zimbabwe will be hosting players from Botswana, Malawi and Namibia.

Players representing Zimbabwe include three girls Simphiwe Malunguza and Kuzivaishe Chapepa, from GAP Sports Academy in Bulawayo, and Channelle Zhuwakini of ZB Sports Club in Harare.

The three boys are Tendekai Musabaeka of Mantas Tennis Academy in Matabeleland, Kudiwanashe Marambo of ZB Sports Club and Bradley Nyamunokora of Tennis Base in the capital.

Two top countries in the competition will feature in a CAT tournament to be hosted by a yet-to-be-named country next year.

The last Under-12 tournament was hosted in Bulawayo in 2019 before all sporting activities were banned last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When some of the COVID-19 lockdown regulations were eased at the beginning of the year, Bulawayo Country Club hosted the 18 and Under International Tennis Federation (ITF) J5 Bulawayo 2021 in May before sporting activities were iced again because of a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Some of the local players that took part in the tournament include the sensational 13-year-old Kudzai Chapepa, Hailey Banda, Sasha Chimedza, Tadisa Chamisa, Mutsawashe Musiyiwa, Tadiwanashe Mauchi, Nicole Matukutire, Julie Tungamirai, Tanatswa Tanyongana and Claire Machisa.

Among the boys were Ethan Sibanda, Taona Mwandigara, Lyle Zaloumis, Shane Tapera and Benedict Badza.