Staff Writer
The Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) will from January 9(today) be hosting the prestigious ITF/CAT Southern Region Zonal Championships until January 19 in Gaborone.
The tournament brings together some of the best junior tennis talent from across Southern Africa.
The 10-day tournament has attracted 130 participants representing all Southern African countries. It features both individual and team events, which will be contested over a two-week period.
Botswana has been awarded hosting rights for the competition for two consecutive years and is also scheduled to host the tournament again in January 2027, underscoring the country’s growing stature in regional tennis. The championships cater for Under-14 and Under-16 age categories and serve as a crucial pathway to qualification for the annual African Junior Championships in both individual and team events. Participants will also earn valuable Grade A Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) ranking points.
The Botswana team is headlined by Africa’s fifth-ranked junior player, Malak Macheng, alongside Tinashe Phatshwane. They are joined by a strong local contingent that includes Fransenco Brink, Lebone Tlape, Rerotlhe Kgannyeng, Lefoko Lebalang, Kgotso Kejakang, Wincott Samaka and Camilla Seetso.
At the 2025 zonal edition, Botswana secured a bronze medal in the girls’ team event, marking a significant milestone for the country’s junior tennis programme.
In other tennis news, Botswana’s Ntungamili Raguin has broken into the world junior top 100 rankings and will be aiming to qualify for the Australian Open Junior Championships next week.
