Perekisi, Ndzinge Win Gaborone Open
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday September 27, 2021 16:00
The country’s second ranked man, Perekisi was in a good form in the tournament that started on Friday. He beat Tlamelang Kepaletswe of Gaborone Badminton Club (GBC) 2-0 to win his first ever-senior championship.
Kepaletswe bagged a silver medal while Tumisang Olekantse settled for the bronze medal. Speaking to Monitor Sport after his championship win, Perekisi who recently won a place in the national team for All Africa Senior Championship, said the weekend’s win has come in handy for the continental tournament scheduled for mid-October. “I performed very well. It was my first time winning a gold in the singles in my career.
I had a good tournament. I did not have any injury problems and I think It was down to how I prepared for the tournament. A final is never easy. It all goes down to how you prepare for it. My strategy was to relax and my play my game. My opponent made a lot of mistakes and that is where I capitalised. I was not really on the offensive,” Perekisi said. In the women’s final, the country’s number one, Ndzinge of GBC maintained her good run form as she brushed aside Tessa Kabelo of Jwaneng Badminton Club to clinch her second championship consecutively. The player was dominant in the two-game match to clinch the gold medal. “It was a long weekend and the play leveled with each day.
The first day was hectic. I did not have a favourable draw. I matched up against a lot of good players from the first round but as it went on, the tournament became much easier.
I am the person to beat, so my nerves were high going into the final. I could not play to my full potential. The level of play was a bit high as compared to other tournaments but overall I am happy with my performance,” Ndzinge told Monitor Sport. The winners of the Gaborone Open walked away with P1,500 cash prize, the second placed with P1,000 and the third placed pocketed P500.