For BTA, the experience will have more premium than trophies from the tourney that will feature top young players aged 14 and less from across the African continent slugging it out in clay courts. Staff Writer TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO reports
The Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) has selected two of its rising stars, Malak Macheng and Tinashe Phatshwane, to represent the country at the prestigious African Junior Championship in Morocco.
Scheduled to take place from 11 to 16 September 2024, the tournament is organised by the Confederation of African Tennis in collaboration with the International Tennis Federation and the Federation Royale Marocaine de Tennis.
The event will feature top young players from across the continent, with boys and girls aged 14 and under competing in clay courts.
Crucial platform
Expressing confidence in the two, the Director of Marketing and Communications at BTA, Tshepang Tlhankane, said in a telephone interview: “They’ve been working tirelessly in preparation for this tournament.
“This is one of the most important continental tournaments in tennis. Obviously, we would like to have a podium finish but we also don’t want to put the kids under too much pressure.”
The African Junior Championship in Clay Court (AJCCC) is regarded as a crucial platform for young players to showcase their skills and gain valuable international experience.
Mental toughness
Macheng and Phatshwane have been training rigorously in the lead-up to the event, focusing on refining their technique and mental toughness as key components for success in the clay courts of Morocco.
Tlhankane emphasised that while a podium finish would be ideal, the primary goal is to ensure that the players gain experience at this level of competition.
“The idea is to have a podium finish regardless of position,” he said. “But if that fails, our kids will gain the experience needed to compete in such events in the future.”
Costly endeavours
But BTA faces challenges in funding international tournaments, sending players abroad being a costly endeavour. “We host a lot more than we send players out because it is expensive to travel for tournaments, which the Association has to fund if it is a national duty,” he said.
Despite these challenges, BTA remains committed to providing its young athletes with opportunities to compete on the international stage. Macheng and Phatshwane’s participation in the AJCCC reflects dedication to nurturing and developing Botswana’s tennis talent.
As the two young athletes prepare to take on some of Africa’s best junior players, they carry the hopes and dreams of a nation eager to see its sports stars shine on the global stage.
“Whether or not they bring home a medal, the experience they’ll gain is invaluable,” Tlhankane emphasised. “This is just the beginning of what we hope will be long and successful careers in tennis for Malak and Tinashe.”