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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
TENNIS Zimbabwe are stepping up their preparations for the two International Tennis Federation Futures events scheduled for next month at Harare Sports Club with the members of the Davis Cup team likely to lead local players in the tournaments.
The two Futures events are slated for next month with the first tournament set to run from October 13 to 18 and the second competition will run from October 20 to 25 at Harare Sports Club.

Zimbabwe are coming from writing a success story after the Davis Cup team, made up of non-playing captain Martin Dzuwa, Takanyi Garanganga, Tinotenda Chanakira, Mark Fynn and Benjamin Lock, got promotion into the Euro-Africa Zone Group II last week.

And the hosts will be hoping to continue climbing up the ladder as the nation seeks to regain its glory days in tennis.

Tennis Zimbabwe administrator, Cliff Nhokwara, said although they would want to see an increased number of players in the tournaments, most of them will have to go through qualifiers pencilled for October 11 and 12.

“This is a now professional tennis, there are a lot of restrictions. Most of our locals can only qualify through wildcards but the players expected to make it are those that played in the Davis Cup while most of our players will have to go through qualifiers or wildcards.

“But I can confirm there will be a minimum of four Zimbabweans in the main draw,” Nhokwara said.

Nhokwara said they look forward to continue providing a platform for local players to improve their game as they make decisions about their future in the sport.

“Following our performance at the Davis Cup, it only follows that we have to continue with our developmental programme and, obviously, this one is a big entry to the pro-circuit.

“It’s a high intensity tournament where we are pushing our juniors, those that are in college, to try their luck in professional tennis.

“It’s a continuation of giving our players a platform to decide what they want to do with their career in tennis,” said Nhokwara
In 2012, Zimbabwe hosted their first Futures event after a seven-year break and it was won by Takanyi Garanganga.

The event was sponsored by Twenty Third Century Systems and they agreed to sponsor one of the events last year when Zimbabwe forwarded their request to host the two Futures events.

They will be joined by NetOne, who also came on board to sponsor the other event.

The two sponsors are expected to put in around US$35 000 for the two tournaments.

The tournaments were originally set for last year and TZ had hoped to host them around the same period as this year.

But the International Tennis Federation could only accommodate the tournaments in December of which the national association and their sponsors felt that it was not favourable since it was towards the festive season.

The national association then moved the events to this year.