Zimpapers Logo

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE tennis sensation Kudzai Chapepa will get another opportunity to shine at an International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Bulawayo next week.

The J5 Bulawayo Crandid ITF South Central Leg1 will kick-off on May 31 at Bulawayo Country Club.

Chapepa (13) can now compete in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Under-18s and get international ranking points.

“We are getting ready for the competition. This is a two-legged tournament, with the first-leg starting next week and ending on June 5 while the second will commence on the 5 June and end on 12 June. Kudzai and the other players have been putting in extra work to achieve good results,” said her coach Thesly Mafunda.

Chapepa won the Growth Point Free State Super 8 tournament in Bloemfontein, South Africa, last month, giving hope that the future of Zimbabwe tennis can still be rescued if players get enough support.

She had previously won the Gauteng Wilson Grand Prix in Pretoria in January and the MP KPM Academy in Middelburg, Mpumalanga in February.

She scooped the 2017 Toyota Centre Botswana Junior Open (under-10) held in Gaborone as well as gold in the 2017 Gauteng East Junior Open (Under-12, Gold Division) in Benoni, South Africa.

Locally she has won the Bulawayo Open, Midlands Open, Harare Open and Masvingo Open.

Other promising Zimbabwean players set to take part in the ITF tournament are Kuzivaishe Chapepa, Zanenkosi Nkomo and Tanaka Mhlanga.