Excitement in Mzuzu as tennis coach arrives
The game of tennis in the Northern Region is expected to improve for the better following the arrival of an expatriate Dutch coach Amon Udo in Mzuzu over the weekend.
Udo from Rotterdam City in Netherlands, is on contract with Khaya Volunteers, a South African organization which has partnered with Mzuzu-based tennis organisation Saved By the Ball (SBB).
Udo said with continued discipline from players and support from SBB management, he hopes the techniques he will impart will bring an impact on their game and make them ready for top tournaments.
“I am happy to be in Malawi, Mzuzu in particular and I hope I will learn a lot during the six weeks I will be in the country,” said the 19-year-old Dutch.
Udo, who has already started imparting skill to the youths in Mzuzu, said the only challenge he has met was language because some kids can hardly speak English.
“My English is not good because it’s not my language, but I also face problems as kids can’t speak the Queen’s language either,” he said.
However, he said with the SBB management’s support, some are learning very fast.
The arrival of Udo is a big boost to Malawi’s top junior lawn tennis star Lamesh Banda, who is struggling to improve on his game ahead of his Africa Championship qualifiers in September in Morocco.
Banda qualified for the Africa junior championship two months ago in Botswana after winning gold and said he was banking on the expatriate coach to improve on the attack, fire power, net volley and smashing.
SBB director, Owen Mfune, said the coach will be taken to schools around Mzuzu city to teach the game.
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