Upbeat tennis team leaves for Zimbabwe

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Correspondent | Thursday January 7, 2010 00:00

 

The team, which comprises four boys and four girls will compete in the Under-14 and 16 categories. The duo of Kutlo Bosilong and Dimpho Legoreng carry the nation's hopes in the Under-16 boys' category while Lesego Mojadife and Phatsimo Ruele will compete against their Under-16 girls' counterparts. Similo Sibanda and Innocent Tidimane have been chosen to represent the country in the Under-14 boys' section with Gorata Keabilwe and Chantel Vanvureen making it in the girls' category. At least 12 countries are expected to send representatives to the regional tournament.
The tournament kicks off on Saturday and ends next Friday.

The event is used to select players who will qualify for the Africa Junior Championships to be held in Nigeria in March. Katlego Gouwe remains the only local player to have qualified for the event before but was knocked out in the first round of the competition.

But team coach, Wellington Sibanda is confident that such statistics would change this time around as he believes his players would go all the way. Sibanda said the players have played in the competition before, which gives them vital experience.

He said the team went through rigorous training and should bring home better results. He said players that have been selected are top seeds who were chosen after doing well in local tournaments. Most of the players excelled in the season ending Electric Junction tournament held in Gaborone in December. Selebi-Phikwe Tennis Club, which provides the bulk of the squad, swept the board as its players did well. Sibanda said the Botswana Games played from December 14-19 helped prepare the team for the championships.

'Morale is very high in my camp as the boys and girls are raring to go. We go to the tournament with a positive mind and I am confident we will lift the Botswana flag high,' Sibanda said.