Tennis umpire wins medal during ITF tournament

Passionate about tennis, Daveyton development coach and umpire Dundee Tefo Radebe says the sport is in his DNA.

Among a list of his accomplishments was being selected by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) as part of the technical officials to officiate as a line umpire during the WIPHOLD International in Pretoria in March.

“To be a successful tennis technical official, one needs to fall in love with the sport,” he said.

An accredited international and national touring tennis chair umpire, Radebe was awarded a medal at the women’s ITF $60 000 World Tennis Tour tournament in the capital city for his stellar job on touchline.

“I’m passionate about the sport and my aim is to develop and recruit young people in Benoni to be involved in tennis. We want to increase participation, so we want children who are keen to learn and want to be successful tennis players,” he said.

He advised those interested in the sport to find a qualified, driven and passionate coach, adding that tennis is a lifelong skill that can also help a person live a healthy lifestyle.

“The coach must be recognised by Tennis South Africa (TSA). The coach must understand the needs of his players so that they can improve and become successful.”

The Daveyton resident has officiated in tournaments such as the Davis Cup and All Africa Games and has over 20 years coaching and umpiring experience.

He runs the Lil’Angels Tennis College at Baikagetse Primary School in Daveyton.

“I encourage parents to give full support to their children once they have chosen tennis. The sport will help them become responsible and stop them from roaming around and engaging in criminality,” he said.

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