Junior tournament a hit
Kallie Heese
The Namibian Tennis Association (NTA) junior tournament sponsored by Sanlam was held at the Central Tennis Courts in Olympia last weekend.
The tournament was only for the U12 and U14 age groups. Playing the Sanlam tournament was important to all aspiring junior players, since it was the last opportunity to win qualifying points for this year’s national ranking.
The best eight qualified juniors in all age groups will be invited to play the national youth championship on October 28 at the Trustco Junior Masters – the most important national tournament on the NTA Junior calendar.
Luca Monteforte showed that he is a strong contender to end the year as the number one player in the U14 age group. He dominated his group by winning all his matches. The runner-up in the group was Diken de Jongh, a player of the FNB Development programme.
Other upsets saw only 11-year-old Elzé Stears ending second in the U14 group. Lisa Yssel was a class above the rest of her competition in the U14 group where she won all her matches without losing a set.
In the U12 boys group, Carlos Uirab caused an upset by beating Albertus Brinkmann 6-2, 6-2. When asked how he managed to dethrone the top ranked player, he replied: “I used angled shots to make my opponent move and I played drop shots to bring him to the net. This way I was able to pass him.”
During the prize-giving ceremony, the representative of Sanlam, Annemarie Saunders, commented that small players should have big dreams to one day represent Namibia at international tournaments. “We from Sanlam are proud to contribute to the future of Namibian tennis,” she said.
NTA president Sam Kaulinge handed over medals to all winners. He thanked all parents and players who had joined the tournament singling out especially the players who had come all the way from Outjo.
The next event will be the Trustco Junior Masters on 28 October. The highest ranked eight players in each age group will be invited for this tournament.
Last weekend’s results:
U.12 GIRLS SINGLES: Winner Elzé Stears.
U.12 BOYS SINGLES: Winner Carlos Uirab.
U.12 BOYS DOUBLES: Winners Carlos Uirab and Albertus Brinkmann.
U.14 GIRLS SINGLES: Winner Lisa Yssel.
U.14 GIRLS DOUBLES: Winners Lisa Yssel and Elzé Stears.
U.14 BOYS SINGLES: Winner Luca Monteforte.
U.14 BOYS DOUBLES: Winners Johannes Swartz and Luca Monteforte.
The Namibian Tennis Association (NTA) junior tournament sponsored by Sanlam was held at the Central Tennis Courts in Olympia last weekend.
The tournament was only for the U12 and U14 age groups. Playing the Sanlam tournament was important to all aspiring junior players, since it was the last opportunity to win qualifying points for this year’s national ranking.
The best eight qualified juniors in all age groups will be invited to play the national youth championship on October 28 at the Trustco Junior Masters – the most important national tournament on the NTA Junior calendar.
Luca Monteforte showed that he is a strong contender to end the year as the number one player in the U14 age group. He dominated his group by winning all his matches. The runner-up in the group was Diken de Jongh, a player of the FNB Development programme.
Other upsets saw only 11-year-old Elzé Stears ending second in the U14 group. Lisa Yssel was a class above the rest of her competition in the U14 group where she won all her matches without losing a set.
In the U12 boys group, Carlos Uirab caused an upset by beating Albertus Brinkmann 6-2, 6-2. When asked how he managed to dethrone the top ranked player, he replied: “I used angled shots to make my opponent move and I played drop shots to bring him to the net. This way I was able to pass him.”
During the prize-giving ceremony, the representative of Sanlam, Annemarie Saunders, commented that small players should have big dreams to one day represent Namibia at international tournaments. “We from Sanlam are proud to contribute to the future of Namibian tennis,” she said.
NTA president Sam Kaulinge handed over medals to all winners. He thanked all parents and players who had joined the tournament singling out especially the players who had come all the way from Outjo.
The next event will be the Trustco Junior Masters on 28 October. The highest ranked eight players in each age group will be invited for this tournament.
Last weekend’s results:
U.12 GIRLS SINGLES: Winner Elzé Stears.
U.12 BOYS SINGLES: Winner Carlos Uirab.
U.12 BOYS DOUBLES: Winners Carlos Uirab and Albertus Brinkmann.
U.14 GIRLS SINGLES: Winner Lisa Yssel.
U.14 GIRLS DOUBLES: Winners Lisa Yssel and Elzé Stears.
U.14 BOYS SINGLES: Winner Luca Monteforte.
U.14 BOYS DOUBLES: Winners Johannes Swartz and Luca Monteforte.
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