Raguin bags first professional tour win
Mqondisi Dube | Wednesday May 20, 2026 12:18
Raguin has made a brisk start to his tennis career, debuting on the junior grand slam in January, whilst also ranking in the top 50 in the juniors.
On Tuesday, he wrote another piece of history when he recorded his first ITF professional victory, needing nearly three hours to dispatch Talic 7-6, 6-1, 6-2. With the victory, he wins his first ATP ranking point.
Last week, Raguin made his debut at the World Tennis Tour, which is in its second week in Gaborone. In search of his first victory on the professional tour, Raguin came close to winning against seasoned American, Preston Brown.
But on Tuesday, there was no denying Raguin his first victory as he amassed all the strength to come from a set down and beat Talic.
He has set up a second round against either the top-seeded German-Latvian Robert Strombachs or the Australian qualifier Adrian Arcon, who are in action this morning.
Meanwhile, another local player, Seabo Saleshando, lost 6-2, 6-1 to Brown in the first round yesterday, while Tsholofelo Tsiang went down 6-2,6-3 to American, Gray Voelzke.
Mark Nawa will face Zimbabwean Ronan Mtisi in the first round today. Nawa will also be in the doubles action when he partners with Ntungamili to face Arcon and his doubles partner, Stefan Storch, today. The winner will then face top seeds, Strombachs and Constantin Bittoun Kouzmine in the second round.
In the women's action, Chelsea Chakanyuka could not improve on last week's second-round performance when she went down to Chilean, Agustina Soto Neira, 7-5, 6-0. She, however, enjoyed success in the doubles, partnering with South African Meri Sandenbergh to beat Sofia Avataneo and Luisa Hrda.
Chakanyuka and Sandenbergh have set up a second-round clash against the top-seeded duo of Sabastiani Leon and Dominika Podhajecka.
Rethabile Moshaoa lost 6-0, 6-0 to third-seeded Mexican, Sabastiani Leon. New Zealander Jade Otway handed another local player, Kagello Malumo, a straight set 6-0, 6-0 defeat.