Bank Windhoek in collaboration with the Namibian Tennis Association (NTA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), hosted the under 18 boys and girls juniors tennis tournament in Windhoek. The six-day sporting event started on Monday, 7 and concluded on Saturday, 12 May 2018.
South African tennis players dominated both divisions within the doubles and singles events. Khololwam Montsi won the boys singles division while Marne Dercksen scooped up the title in the girl’s singles division. Montsi beat his fellow compatriot Charl Morgan and won 6-4, 6-7, (3) 6-1.
Dercksen defeated Denmark’s Divine Dasam Nweke 6-2, 7-5 to clinch the girl’s title.
Swedish pair Hugo Regner and Eric van Nunen won the boys doubles event while the South African doubles team represented by Marne Dercksen and Tamsin Hart, scooped up the girl’s doubles division.
The grade five singles and doubles tournament, saw 32 players in the boys section and 25 in the girls section compete for top honours. They will realise their performance grading after the release of the ITF rankings scheduled to take place towards end of May.
“We witnessed some high-class tennis on display during the tournament, most notably in both the singles and doubles finals,” said the tournament’s Director, Wellington Sibanda.
A total of seven players made up the Namibian team; three girls and four boys. From these, only Codie van Schalkwyk managed to progress as far as the quarterfinals. He eventually lost to South African Charl Morgan, 6-4, 6-0. Other players represented countries such as: Finland, Australia, France, Great Britain, United States of America, Denmark, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Algeria, Spain, Russia and Mozambique.
The ITF Junior Circuit, also took place in Zimbabwe and Botswana. The next event is currently underway in Mozambique. “Thank you Bank Windhoek for your continuous support towards Namibian tennis. This type of tournament helps us sustain and develop the sport further,” said Sibanda.