POLOKWANE – Nearly 70 tennis players from Limpopo and beyond gathered at the Polokwane Tennis Club this past weekend for the Limpopo Baobab Mini 4 Tournament.
Part of the TSA Mini Tournaments held across South Africa, the event provided players the opportunity to improve their national rankings.
Tournament director Ernest Faver expressed pride in the growing popularity of tennis in Polokwane and commended the junior players for their dedication.
“The level of play was high and fast-paced. We appreciate everyone who travelled from Gauteng and other areas to support the event. Congratulations to all the players who earned top honours – you made us proud.”
Faver also thanked the local municipality for making the courts available for the tournament and said the positive economic spinoffs by the influx of players and their families, are significant for the city.
Local talent shone brightly in the tournament.
Tzaneen-based Zoë Venter defeated Leago Marokane in the girls u/18 singles division, with 6-4, 7-6(2), while Liah Rodriguez defeated her Limpopo counterpart Ashley Mhandu by 6-3, 6-2.
Mika Bekker took top honours in the girls singles (u/12) by defeating Mmapaseka Chuene 6-0, 6-0.
In the u/18 girls doubles division, partners Zoë and Simoné Faver outplayed their Limpopo counterparts Leago Marokane and Luna Rodriguez by 6-2, 4-6 and 10-8, while the doubles for boys u/12 saw local players NJ Pretorius and Juvan Kotzee lose to the Gauteng duo of Judah Brasg and Jordan Soupionas with a score of 6-4, 6-0.
In the men’s doubles, local players Thyan Botha and partner Blake Bekker lost to their Gauteng counterparts, Alexander Gerov and Declan Halsey by 6-0 and 6-4.
In the doubles for boys u/14, Limpopo’s Kamano Mphahlele and Kamogelo Seabi lost to Michael Gell and Sebastian Grundel with a score of 6-3 and 6-3.
The weekend also featured the Rainbow Kidz Tennis Tournament, aimed at beginner players aged four to 12.
This programme teaches tennis fundamentals using age-appropriate equipment and divides young players into groups based on age and skill level.
The young participants had the opportunity to showcase their skills in friendly matches, even keeping score on their own.
Faver expressed his gratitude for the enthusiastic participation of the beginners, highlighting the importance of nurturing young talent in a fun way.
The Limpopo Mini Baobab 4 was the last of the year’s tournaments, aimed at improving players’ rankings.
Dates for the 2025 tournaments will be published once it becomes available.
