Tanzania national tennis players Sebastian Mtupili and Rehema Athumani leave today for Bujumbura, Burundi ahead of the ITF/CAT Prize Money Circuit tennis Championship.

The opening round of Africa's biggest tennis event, the tournament is scheduled to start from February 11- 14, in the Burundian capital.

Mtupili joined his team mate in the late minutes after winning sponsorship from two Dar es Salaam-based firms.

"I thank Tansoma Hotel and Paradise Resorts hotels for their timely assistance or else I would be nowhere today," said Mtupili.

Previously Rehema was the only player to have secured sponsorship, while six others including Mtupili were still struggling to find sponsors for their Burundian mission.

Speaking to The Citizen during his intensive training session at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana club, Mtupili urged tennis stakeholders to pour in their funds to help the remaining players.

"The generous members donated the funds to foot transport, accommodation and participation fee. I really thank them for their timely assistance," she said.

Other players who are to accompany Rehema and Mtupili to Burundi are likely to miss the trip as their struggle for the sponsorship were yet to yield fruits by Monday evening.

The players include Omary Abdallah, Riziki Salumu, Hassan Kasimu and Karim Hamza.

"We are still hunting for sponsors, though chances of getting an effective one remain very slim,"said Dar es Salaam Gymkhana player Hassan Kassim. All seven players have been training for over three weeks in readiness for the event.

The tournament has already drawn a number of prominent players from all over the continent.

The top seeded players going to Bujumbura include Jean-Claude Gasigwa, Olivier Nkunda, Habiyambere Dieu, and Mathien Uwizeyimana Kabiyambe Dieu-Donne all from Rwanda while Caroline 0duor and Francis Rogoi are from Kenya and Zimbabweans Hillary Nyakabau and Martin Dzuwa.