THE Zambia Open Tennis Championship is the highlight of the tennis calendar in Zambia every year as it is the most prestigious competition the sport has to offer in the land.
2015 has come with new fortunes and challenges but above all, this year’s Zambia Open must see a new touch in preparations, logistics and the general organisation.
The Zambia Open continues to inspire admiration in all those who strive to be just like their racket-swinging idols. The innovations over the years have helped make the tournament up-to-date without losing any of its prestige.
Many players young and old aspire to become Zambia Open champions and indeed view success in this tournament as the absolute pinnacle in terms of tennis achievement.
The competition has produced celebrated men and women in recent history and its popularity is being recognised beyond borders.
This annual tournament also brings to the fore new kids on the bloc who challenge the elite and seasoned players for honours.
Unfortunately, the 2014 tennis calendar fell short of this most prestigious tournament owing to financial constraints.
The development entailed that the upcoming players did not have a huge platform to showcase their skills and measure their standing in the rank and file of the sport, meaning Edgar Kazembe remains the number one ranked player in 2015 with Nkumbu Chonya as the second seed just like Miriam Zulu is at the summit on the women chart.
It was saddening when Zambia Tennis Association (ZTA) vice president for the southern region, Isaac Tembo announced the cancellation of the annual championship, which had initially been set for November 2014 because the association had failed raise to the K150, 000 set budget.
The failure to host the tournament was compounded by the fact that the corporate world could not commit to directing their resources towards the championship.
As tennis opens a new chapter in Zambia this year, there are a number of players who eager to   give a shot at the top spot held by Kazembe and their eyes are set at overcoming the obstacles to achieve their target.
Therefore, the ZTA must approach 2015 with renewed vigor and commitment to ensuring that the Zambia Open takes place at all cost this time around.
For a sport that is viewed as minor in a predominantly football loving nation to still claim a fair share of spectators and to see huge crowds turn out every year for the spectacle that the Zambia Open offers, is amazing.
The mix of upcoming talent and experienced ones from around the globe during this huge local tournament is so special to many people.
More and more people have now developed the passion for tennis. Unlike other sports codes, the most unique scenario with tennis fans is that they have remained respectful of players and rival fans, which is an achievement other sports can’t even comprehend.
There are no bottles thrown onto the courts or fights ensuing in the stands, but only tennis rules and those who watch it.
This scenario clearly indicates that tennis is being appreciated by people and that is the reason why the Zambia Open should never ever be skipped again, regardless of financial challenges, there should always be a backup plan.
Similarly, the players hold this tournament in higher esteem to the extent that when one enters for the championship, they don’t just enter for a competition but they get into an entirely different experience unmatched in the game of tennis.
They leave their ego, their prior success, their audacity at the entrance, and simply play tennis for the fans with their eyes fixed on winning.
Zambia’s tennis has had big names like John Mwalongo, Brandon Kasulumbe, Andrew Makwaza and Sidney Bwalya just to mention a few. These veterans made their mark on the sport and represented the country with due diligence at international competitions.
If one is a real tennis fan, they would be able to remember the names that made Zambia’s tennis excel.
However, the only name that people would be more familiar with today is ‘Edgar Kazembe’ and it seems like the man is unstoppable despite his gradual loss of steam due to age.
Many youngsters today have had several of shots at the title but they have never even gotten to the final as they get ousted many times and who knows perhaps last year, they would have laid their hands on the title that Kazembe has claimed for the last three years.
Kazembe is under no pressure at all because he has swept through a number of titles on the local and international scenes but presumably, the pressure is riding on Chonya’s shoulders to win the title he has missed out on in the past few years.
Now the fact that youngsters like Miodrag Popovic must get out of the shells and aim for the top honour in the country’s tennis, should be a challenge to the ZTA to commence early preparations for the Zambia Open soc that no cancellation of any sort is entertained.
It is always challenging for minor sports to make it big when it comes to securing sponsorship for major tournaments, but with early preparations, nothing is impossible.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea for the tennis body to engage the corporate world well in advance for a tournament that will only take place in October, November or December.
There is also need for the ZTA to devise effective mechanisms of raising funds for its programs so that the sport can flourish on the Zambian soil.
Beyond the Zambia Open, the top junior players in the country must be given an opportunity to turn professional if they are so good to do so, but this calls for increased support by way of funding, training or coaching to help them make the transition from the junior ranks to the professional level.
To achieve all these, the ZTA needs support and it is therefore prudent for the business community through their Social Corporate Responsibility (CSR) to get on board and help the association meet its set targets for the New Year.
Tennis has the potential to yield medals for the country in the long run.
Send your comments to moseschimfwembe@gmail.com