Malawi’s Lumeta led by example with flying start at Jnr Circuit Championships
Lawn Tennis Association of Malawi (Ltam) president Francis Mwansa has commended tennis star Chisomo Lumeta for leading by example at the Southern African Junior Circuit Championships in Gaborone, Botswana on Sunday when he won his first two matches.
The 15-year-old, who is also Team Malawi captain in under-16 category defeated Lesotho’s Kakutla Motlojoa 6-0, 61 and also upset Botswana’s Khagiso Sebakile to a with an emphatic 6-1, 6-0 thrashing before whitewashing Swaziland’s T, Siwela 6-0, 6-0.
Mwansa said hailed Lumeta, who is based at the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) High Performance Centre (HPC) in Morocco, for a “good start”.
“Lumeta is leading by example due to his vast experience in international competitions,” s Mwansa said.
Other Malawi flag carriers Zione Nkhoma, Ramesh Banda and Linda Msiska, representing the country in the under 14 girls, under-12 boys and under-12 girls categories respectively, won a single match and lost once each.
Under-14 star Anderson Mdala lost his only match of the day 6-0, 6-0 to Angolan Edward Moraif.
Nkhoma beat Tenolo Maria from Lesotho 6-0, 6-0 before succumbing to a 6-2, 6-0 defeat by Zimbabwe’s Beverly Maptsiwe. Banda thrashed A Almando of Mozambique 6-0, 6-0, but lost 6-3, 6-0 to South African Kholowani Modise. Msiska thumped the hosts’ Thato 6-4, 6-3 but lost 6-4, 4-6, 10-7 to Charlotte Zhuwakini of Zimbabwe in a close encounter.
The competition is expected to run up to January 11 and the best upcoming stars are assured of scholarships at the HPC.
Lumeta got his place at the HPC after winning gold in the under-12 category during a similar contest in South Africa in 2009.
