By Nevison Mpofu
Zimbabwe’s junior tennis players produced an impressive performance at the World Tennis/CAT Southern African Junior Teams Competition, held in Maputo, Mozambique, from 10 to 16 August 2026.
The Zimbabwe Under-12 teams returned home with silver and bronze medals, marking a strong showing against some of the region’s leading junior tennis nations.
The prestigious competition brought together 10 countries from across Southern Africa, including South Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Lesotho, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.
The girls’ team, featuring Sharon Ndlovu, Alexander Ruwisi, Danica Tverdon and Mila Kaliofas, enjoyed an impressive unbeaten run before reaching the final.
Zimbabwe defeated Mauritius 3-0 in the quarter-finals before overcoming Angola 2-1 in a closely contested semi-final.
Their strong run eventually came to an end in the final, where they narrowly lost 2-1 to South Africa, earning the silver medal.
The runners-up finish also secured the Zimbabwe girls a place at the continental finals, giving them an opportunity to compete for honours at the next level.
The boys’ team, comprising Tawonashe Danda, Liam Kabasa and Anopaishe, also produced an outstanding performance.
They began their knockout campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Eswatini in the quarter-finals. However, their run was halted in the semi-finals after they suffered a 3-0 defeat to South Africa.
The boys responded strongly in the third-place play-off, defeating Namibia 3-0 to secure the bronze medal.
The performances in Maputo underline the growing strength of junior tennis in Zimbabwe and provide encouragement for the country’s young players as they continue to compete on the regional and continental stage.
With both teams making their mark against strong opposition, Zimbabwean junior tennis appears to be moving in the right direction, with greater opportunities ahead for the next generation of players.