Future tennis stars thrive at Baobab mini tournament
The Baobab Mini Tournaments are hosted in all provinces and give aspiring tennis players an opportunity to improve their national rankings.
POLOKWANE – Close to 75 tennis players from Limpopo and beyond converged on the Polokwane Tennis Club this weekend, to participate in the Limpopo Baobab ProKennex Mini 2 Tournament.
The Baobab Mini Tournaments are hosted in all provinces and give players an opportunity to improve their national rankings, so the events often see players touring across provinces to participate in the events.
This weekend, as always, saw many up-and-coming local players outplay their counterparts from other provinces, and many coaches were more than happy with their players’ performances.
It was especially in the women’s and girls sections that local players outsmarted their opponents.
The women’s division, in which the u/16 girls competed, saw local player Leago Marokane defeat Mogomotsi Sekgobela (Gauteng) by 6-1, 6-2 to win this division.
The girls u/14 division saw Polokwane players Morakane Molaoa and Paballo Chuene in the final, with Molaoa taking the win with 6-1, 6-0.
The girls u/12 section also saw two local players, Ashley Mhandu and Kamogelo Manamela battling it out for top honours, with Mhandu taking top honours with 6-1 and 6-2.
Tournament director, Ernest Faver, said the tournament once again showed that tennis in the city is growing at an immense pace and that the junior players make great effort of attending these tournaments.
“The level of play was very high and fast-paced. We would like to thank everyone who travelled from Gauteng and beyond to support this tournament. Congratulations to all the players who went home with top honours. You did us proud.”
He also thanked the municipality for the opportunity to host the tournament at the local courts, saying a tournament of this size contributes significantly to the local economy, given the number of players and their families who travel to the city.
