PROMISING tennis player, Courtney Lock has targeted a top four finish at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Under-18 African Junior Championships, to be played in Morocco next month.
BY ALBERT MARUFU
Lock, together with Alwyn Mushonga, Luca Picci, Tadiwa Chinamo and Ngoni Makambwa, will represent Zimbabwe in the boys’ category while Nicole Dzenga, Zarha Finnigan, Latifah Yasini and Karen Muswere will represent the country in the girls’ category in the tournament running from February 17 to 21.
Lock, who has been training at the ITF Centre in Morocco and participated at the ITF Juniors Tennis Club Hammam-Sousse in Tunisia, said he was geared for the tournament.
“I am targeting finishing in top four and upwards. I think we have a good chance in Morocco. I hope the other guys have also been preparing well,” said Lock who recently got a tennis scholarship to study at the University of Louisville in the United States.
In Tunisia, Lock lost in the qualifying round of the singles competition, but later teamed up with Burundi national Iradukunda Guy Orly to reach the semifinals of the doubles competition.
Meanwhile, Tennis Zimbabwe (TZ) have appointed veteran coach Lazarus Manjoro as the travelling coach for the players.
“Manjoro will coach the players in Morocco. We believe he has the experience to guide the youngsters,” said Regis Bhunu, TZ president. He added that most of the players were in various countries participating in tournaments as part of their warm up games ahead of the tournament.
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“Some of the players are in East Africa where they are taking part in tournaments while Lock is in Morocco. We hope that they will do well at the tournament,” he said.
He also revealed that TZ was still looking for the US$15 000 needed to make the trip possible.
“We are still looking for financial support from the corporate world. We have the talent in the country and all they need is financial support,” he said.
