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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
RICHARD Ngwarwi is this year’s Masvingo Junior Open Tennis tournament boys Under-18 champion after beating Takunda Dube in straight sets in the finals on Monday.The three-day competition saw players from Harare, Bulawayo, Midlands, Manicaland and Masvingo fighting for honours in four age-groups from Under-10 to Under-18.

The tournament was initially expected to have participants competing in the Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18.
However, due to a low turnout the organisers had to cancel the Under-18 girls section and Under-16s boys and girls competition as there were no participants in these age-groups.

In the boys Under-18 section Ngwarwi, who is based in Mutare, overpowered Dube 6-4, 6-4 to clinch the title.

The boys Under-14 title went to Anesu Kwirirai from Mutare while Chido Chimbetete from Midlands scooped the girls title.
In the boys Under-12 category Masvingo’s Thabo Ncube was crowned the champion after he defeated Zaloumis Lyle in the final.
Clare Machisa was the winner in the girls section.

For the Under-10s participants competed in three divisions – the red ball, orange ball and the green ball.  This is part of the junior development programmes by Tennis Zimbabwe.

Masvingo board chairperson, Joseph Zawaira, said despite the failure to have matches in some of the age-groups the tournament went on well.

“The competition was a bit stiff, we had players from Bulawayo, Kwekwe, Mutare, Masvingo and some of them were from Harare.  For the girls, there were no Under-18s, no one came and we also didn’t have the Under-16s. We would love all provinces to bring all the kids.

“The event was okay, it was graced by people from different provinces,” said Zawaira.

This is the second year the tournament is running after it was introduced last year.