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Martin Lock

Ellina Mhlanga, Sports Reporter
TENNIS Zimbabwe president, Martin Lock says preparations for their Europe/Africa Zone Group II tie against Turkey next February in Harare are taking shape with several sponsors coming on board.

Zimbabwe are set to mark their return to the Europe/Africa Zone Group II with a date against Turkey on the weekend of February 3-4 next year.
The national association has set their budget for the encounter at $50 000.

Speaking to our sister paper, The Herald yesterday, Lock said they have several sponsors who have come on board and are also still negotiating with other potential sponsors.

“We have been working actively with sponsors and we are starting to get very positive response from sponsors.

“We have got Zuva Petroleum, Autoworld the Isuzu brand, we have got Hunyani, we have Tregers, and we are still negotiating with some of the other sponsors. But we have got BSi Steel, Vic Falls Safari Lodge and Stanbic Bank. So these are the sponsors who are on board and are working with us.

“But the preparations are going very well, we are enlarging the centre court with some more stands. So we will have extra seating capacity. I am looking to have a seating capacity for a thousand people,” said Lock.

The TZ president described the return of the tournament to Zimbabwe as a huge boost for the sport locally and is excited of the opportunities it’s presenting for their various stakeholders.

“We are definitely getting more sponsors on board. I just think because we are back to the Europe/Africa Zone (Group II), you are competing on a much bigger platform, there is bigger exposure, there is a higher level of tennis, the game is growing, it is more attractive, we can offer sponsors much more exposure. So it’s exciting.

“It’s a huge boost for local tennis because we get all the juniors coming, the school kids, our development squad come and watch, and our sponsors come and watch. It’s a huge boost, so we are very excited. It’s a real shot in the arm for Zimbabwe tennis,” said Lock.

Zimbabwe last hosted a Davis Cup tie in 2015 when they played their Europe/Africa Zone Group II ties against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Moldova  at home.
They managed to remain in the group when they beat Moldova in the relegation play-off after losing the first tie to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

They were then relegated to Africa Zone Group III last year when they lost both their ties against Finland and Georgia away from home.

But Zimbabwe gave a good account of themselves when they beat Kenya 2-0 in the promotional play-offs in Cairo, Egypt in July to bounce back into Group II.