BT, Mzuzu dominates PIS lawn tennis

Tennis players from Blantyre and Mzuzu were a delight to watch at the two-day Presidential Initiative on Sports (PIS) lawn tennis finals at the Lilongwe Golf Club last weekend.

 

In an all Blantyre affair, Kondwani Phiri beat Kanishka Kapoor 6-1, 6-4 in the Under-12 category.

In the Under-16 category, Harvey Scordis from Blantyre defeated Willy Kaunde of Zomba 6-4, 6-3.

In the Under-18 category, Aggrey Chidothi from Blantyre beat Zomba-based Tingopenya Nazombe 6-3,6-2 whereas Samuel Spencer of Lilongwe saw off Honest Soko of Blantyre to become the Under-14 champion.

In the female Under-18 category, Mary Luhanga of Mzuzu beat Brenda Masinga of Blantyre whereas Priscilla Maloya, also from Mzuzu, beat Jane Chapomba of Blantyre to win the Under-16 category.

In another all Blantyre encounter, Mwawi Soko thrashed Rama Wyson to grab the Under-12 category championship title. Elvin Chikanongo of Zomba won the Under-14 category. She defeated Emily Mhango of Mzuzu.

Watched by Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Justin Saidi, director of sports Jameson Ndalama and lawn tennis president Duncan Gumbi, the players did everything to impress.

“I have noted that almost all the participants were under-20. I would like to encourage the Lawn Tennis Association of Malawi (LTAM) to continue emphasising on the youth because the future of sports; and table tennis in particular, lies in these young people,” said Saidi.

Maloya said she is taking the sport seriously as she wants to play at Wimbledon in the future.

“Tennis to me is a career. I am working hard to make it at professional level. One day, I want to represent Malawi at Wimbledon,” she said.

The tournament’s manager, Bernard Gamula, hailed the skills shown by the 38 players that took part in the finals.