In addition to obviating expenses, hosting is seen as a major step in junior tennis development. Staff Writer TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO reports
Botswana hosted the ITF/CAT 12 & Under Teams Final Competition from October 6 to 13, welcoming teams from 11 countries across Africa.
Nations such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Benin, Ghana, Madagascar, Kenya, Uganda, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Guinea sent their most promising young tennis players to the competition, marking a major milestone in the Botswana Tennis Association’s (BTA) efforts to strengthen the sport at the grassroots level.
Back-to-back
This is one of the many international tennis events hosted by Botswana, which is also set to host back-to-back World Tennis Tour junior events in the coming weeks, starting with a J60 and a J100 tournament.
These tournaments are crucial for junior players to gain ITF (International Tennis Federation) ranking points, which enable them to progress on the global stage.
According to the BTA’s director of communications and marketing Tshephang Tlhankane, hosting international tournaments in Botswana has proven to be a strategic and cost-effective way to develop the country’s talent.
Saving on travel costs
“We have found that it is far more affordable to host these events than to send a large contingent of players abroad in search of ranking points,” he said in a telephone interview.
“When we host, we can have up to 15 kids compete. Sending the same number of players abroad would require significant financial backing, which is not always feasible.”
This approach allows local players to benefit from international exposure while saving on travel costs. By organising these tournaments, BTA is creating a platform for its players to compete on home soil against strong international opponents without the prohibitive expenses associated with travelling abroad.
Local rankings or wildcard entries Botswana’s junior players also benefit from home-ground advantage, receiving opportunities to enter the main draw through their local rankings or wildcard entries.
“Local players get an equal chance as internationals, but we also use our hosting proxy to enter as many kids with good rankings into the main draw and some through wild cards,” he explained. This opportunity gives young Botswana players the much-needed experience of competing against top-level athletes from across Africa and helps them hone their skills in competitive environments.
Not left behind
By providing these competitive platforms, BTA ensures that its junior players are not left behind in the race for international ranking points.
The tournaments also offer them a chance to close the year with a strong performance, boosting their rankings in preparation for the next season.
While BTA continues to make strides in hosting international events, it still faces financial challenges. “There is always one obstacle, finance,” he admitted.
Long-term solutions
“But the bigger picture here is that with the little financial resources we have, it is more affordable to host than to take players outside.”
BTA’s current model alleviates some of the financial burdens as the tournaments being individual events mean that players cover their own accommodation and travel costs. “Luckily for these tournaments, expenses are not much on the Association since these are not team competitions but individual events,” he said. “The players stay at home, and we don’t incur hotel or other costs.”
High-profile tournaments
Despite the financial constraints, BTA is focused on long-term solutions, with efforts underway to secure sponsorships that will enable the association to host more high-profile tournaments.
“We are working tirelessly to secure long-term sponsorships, which will enable us to host higher-level tournaments, especially senior ones, now that we have the formula for junior events,” said Tlhankane.
The successful hosting of these events plays a pivotal role in building the ITF’s trust in Botswana’s ability to organise tournaments.
“Hosting successful events back to back makes it easier to bid for tournaments of higher grade once the ITF has trust and confidence in the nation’s ability,” he said.