Tennis stars to battle for ITF’s sh6.9m
Feb 20, 2008
SIXTY-FOUR semi-professional players will battle for prize money worth $4,000(sh6.9m) in the East African tennis circuit that swings into action today at the Lugogo. Zimbabwean Martin Dzuwa, fresh from winning the first leg held in Kigali last week, will be the star attraction at the International
By Phillip Corry
SIXTY-FOUR semi-professional players will battle for prize money worth $4,000(sh6.9m) in the East African tennis circuit that swings into action today at the Lugogo.
“We are expecting a strong field of players from this region and elsewhere,†tennis official Peter Tyaba said yesterday.
Zimbabwean Martin Dzuwa, fresh from winning the first leg held in Kigali last week, will be the star attraction at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) sponsored tournament.
Other notable players to watch include another Zimbabwean Gwinyai Tongoona. Uganda will field Herbert Buyinza, John Oyet, Christopher Baagala and Ronald Ssemanda.
The men and women’s singles draw will attract 32 entrants each. The first leg of the circuit started in Kigali last week, is in Kampala this week and ends in Nairobi, Kenya next week.
The tournament will conclude on Sunday and will be followed by the UBL/Fang Fang Uganda Open.
+UGANDA Lawn Tennis Association (ULTA) is still interested in hosting the ITF East Africa tennis centre.
“We are not against the idea of Uganda becoming the the centre for tennis development in the region,†John Nagenda, ULTA chairman stated.
“We have seven courts at Lugogo. We are going to give two courts for the youngsters but ITF want us to surrender four. Our members pay to use them and that money is used to maintain the facilities,†he argued.
Burundi is waiting in the wings to take over in case ULTA and ITF fail to agree.
SIXTY-FOUR semi-professional players will battle for prize money worth $4,000(sh6.9m) in the East African tennis circuit that swings into action today at the Lugogo.
“We are expecting a strong field of players from this region and elsewhere,†tennis official Peter Tyaba said yesterday.
Zimbabwean Martin Dzuwa, fresh from winning the first leg held in Kigali last week, will be the star attraction at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) sponsored tournament.
Other notable players to watch include another Zimbabwean Gwinyai Tongoona. Uganda will field Herbert Buyinza, John Oyet, Christopher Baagala and Ronald Ssemanda.
The men and women’s singles draw will attract 32 entrants each. The first leg of the circuit started in Kigali last week, is in Kampala this week and ends in Nairobi, Kenya next week.
The tournament will conclude on Sunday and will be followed by the UBL/Fang Fang Uganda Open.
+UGANDA Lawn Tennis Association (ULTA) is still interested in hosting the ITF East Africa tennis centre.
“We are not against the idea of Uganda becoming the the centre for tennis development in the region,†John Nagenda, ULTA chairman stated.
“We have seven courts at Lugogo. We are going to give two courts for the youngsters but ITF want us to surrender four. Our members pay to use them and that money is used to maintain the facilities,†he argued.
Burundi is waiting in the wings to take over in case ULTA and ITF fail to agree.