By GODFREY DUBE at Lusaka Club –
UPSTART Natasha Chewe was at the weekend crowned queen of the Serving Zambia national junior tennis championship after winning the under-18 and under-12 girls’categories of the tournament.
Chewe took the big prize in the under-18 category after beating Given Sakala in straight sets with scores of 6-2, 6-1 in the final.
She had earlier bagged the under-12 title after another 2-0 win in the final over Favourity Chabu with scores of 6-0, 6-3.
In the boys’ under-18 boys category, Bernard Kalaba took the main prize after rallying to beat James Kaoma 2-1 with scores of 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 while in theunder-16 boys’ category, the title went to Aaron Likata who defeated MikeMulenga 2-0 in a tough final with set scores of 7-5,7-5.
Nakalanga Nanyangwe was crowned champion in the under-14 boys’category after beating Chileshe Chansa 2-1 in the longest game of the tournament with set scores 6-2, 2-6, 10-8.
Emmy Chewe took the girls title in the same age group after a straight-sets’ (6-0, 6-2) win over Mary Mwansa in a one-sided the final.
Zambia Tennis Association (ZTA) president Wane Msiska said theassociation was working hard to tap talent from the grassroots across thecountry.
Msiska said the association had taken keen interest in making sure it improved tennisat junior level and called for more girlsto take up the sport.
“We want to embark on a country wide program of tapping talent atgrassroots level, that is the basis for good development and it remains top of our agenda. We also want more girls in the game,”Msiska said.
He congratulated the winners and urged all the players to embracesportsmanship at all times even when resultsdo not go their way.
He urged the junior players to look up to good tennis playersas their role models and work hard to overtake their stars.