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Sports Reporter
TENNIS Zimbabwe have appointed Alison Vaughn and Thesley Mufunda as coaches for the team to compete at the ITF/CAT Southern Africa Junior Championships in Windhoek, Namibia next month. The championships are pencilled for January 8 to 18 and Zimbabwe will be fielding 12 players in the boys and girls Under-14 and Under-16s. Tennis Zimbabwe administrator, Cliff Nhokwara, confirmed the appointments and said they are now waiting for the coaches to submit their training programme for a week-long camp to be held just before the team’s departure early next month.

The players are currently training with their individual coaches at their respective bases.

One of the coaches, Mufunda, who is based in Bulawayo, said they are going to look at the mental side of the game as well as tactics when the team comes together. “What we are working on is we are just trying to work on the mental aspects of the game, to try and prepare them for the challenge. When we go into camp we just want to build on tactics, work on doubles combinations and team effort,” said Mufunda.

Mufunda said they have been in touch with the different coaches working with the players at the moment for feedback on how they are progressing ahead of the team’s camp.

“What I can say is that the players are coming from all over Zimbabwe. They are in different parts of the country with different coaches, so we are in touch with their respective coaches. Their input is appreciated because they are the ones who spend more time with the players.

“I think it’s been working well, with the time that we have that is the best and also these are the coaches who got them selected into the national team, so we trust their judgments. “There was a tournament in Harare, so that also came on the right time and most of the players who are actually going did well,” said Mufunda.

Previously, the championships included the Under-12s, but the format has since changed with the focus now being on the Under-14s and the Under-16s.

Team:

Under-16 Boys

Tinashe Taruberekera, Thabo Ncube, Anesu Kwirirai.

Under-14 Boys

Ethan Sibanda, Taona Muhwandagara, Lyle Zaloumis.

Under-16 Girls

Nandi Munyulwa, Vimbai Moyo, Takudzwa Mawisire.

Under-14 Girls

Rufaro Magarira, Clare Machisa, Tsitsi Mahere.