Political Violence Cost Zimbabwe Bid TO Host Tennis Tournament

Initially Tennis Zimbabwe said the tournament had been awarded to South Africa before another change was announced on Thursday which saw the tournament going to Botswana.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) invited bids after a number of countries objected sending their players to the Egypt because of the political unrest. The tournament was immediately cancelled. This led the ITF to invite fresh bidders to host the tournament. The AJC tournament is pencilled for March 28 to April 8.

Particia Mavhundutse the TZ administrator said Zimbabwe had lost bidding to Botswana. It is understood that Zimbabwe lost the bid to host the Africa Junior tournament due to fresh political violence in the country.

Tadiwa Chinamo, Nicole Dzenga, Ngoni Chiwewete, Keren Muswere, Ronzai Saurombe, Taremedzwa Mariga, Valeria Bhunu and Thabile Tshatedi have qualified for this year’s edition of the AJC.

Chinamo and Chiwewete will compete in the boys’ Under-14 age group with Dzenga and Muswere competing in the girls’ same age group.

In the Under-16 age group, Zimbabwe will be represented by Saurombe and Mariga with Bhunu and Tshatedi expected to fly the country’s flag in the girls’ section.

The AJC also counts as the qualifying event for the Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas.

Meanwhile Zimbabwe’s young tennis sensation, Panashe Nicole Dzenga, has been ranked Number One in Africa for the Under 14 and under, age group.

Dzenga recently shocked fellow players especially her Zimbabwean counterparts when she won the African Junior Tennis Championships for Southern Africa. She also attained the CAT 14 and Under Girl’s Number One ranking for Africa.

Ben Rafemoyo, former Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), Chief Executive, and her relative, said: “Only a rising star in the horizon yesterday, today the star is shining right above us.”

A spokesman from Moyo Wamabo Trust, said: “We raise our glasses to a Champion. Raise your glass.”

Dzenga is currently studying at a local high school in Harare.