Tennis stars in Egypt - for international championships
Five Botswana tennis players are competing in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) southern Africa Junior Championships, held in Egypt from February 6th to the 10th.
The ITF/CAT J200 tournament gives young athletes the opportunity to qualify for major tournaments such as the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. The five Botswana athletes have their sights set on achieving success on the international stage.
The Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) has sent five talented young players to represent Botswana at the 47th ITF/CAT Africa Juniors Championships J200 tournament in Egypt. Mark Nawa and Ntungamili Raguin will compete in the boy's division, while Chelsea Changanyuka, Naledi Raguin, and Rethabile Moshaoa will represent Botswana in the girl's division. This is a major opportunity for these young athletes to collect points and improve their ranking on the international stage.
According to the BTA president, Oaitse Thipe, the association is happy and optimistic about the under 18 athletes representing Botswana at the ITF/CAT Africa Juniors Championships J200 tournament. He said that if the athletes do well, they will have the opportunity to compete in major tournaments and earn valuable points. He emphasized the importance of the tournament and the impact it could have on the careers of the athletes.
“The ITF/CAT Africa Juniors Championships J200 tournament offers 200 points, which gives players a chance to qualify for major tournaments like the French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon. If the Botswana athletes perform well, their international rankings will improve in the coming weeks,” he said.
The Botswana tennis stars will be competing against young athletes from Tunisia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria, Burundi, Morocco, Algeria, and the host nation Egypt. The J200 tournament is exclusively for under 18 athletes, and it will take place in Cairo. This is a great opportunity for our young athletes to test their skills and gain valuable experience on the international stage.
Thipe said that Botswana's top junior players have been training and competing on a regular basis prior to the ITF/CAT Africa Juniors Championships J200. He is confident that they are ready to take on this challenge and believes that they have what it takes to achieve great results. He has no doubt that they will represent Botswana well and make the country and themselves proud.
Meanwhile, the Botswana Tennis Association has announced its calendar of events for 2024, which includes both local and international competitions. Botswana will also go to the Under 14 African Junior Championships which will take place in Togo from the 26th to the 29th of February.