23 Apr 2015

Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) is staging a youth development tennis tournament in honor of the late legend, Euphemia Tlhapane, who served the association over a long period of time.

The association leadership revealed during a recent media briefing in gaborone that the event, which is a Grade-Five International Tennis Federation (ITF) competition, will commence on Saturday (April 25).

BTA president, Nelson Amanze, explained during the media briefing that the event would be held at the National Tennis Centre, and open to locally based players and foreign ones who are below the age of 18.

He added that the event carries ITF ranking points and gold medals for winners. Amanze said it was proper that the association hosts the Euphemia Tlhapane Tennis Development tournament in honour of the late legend who passed away in 1998.


He said the late Tlhapane had a long association with BTA and contributed immensely to the development of tennis in Botswana. “Tennis is trying to say, in her memory, that here was a hero who has developed tennis in the continent.

She was called Mme wa tennis,” Amanze said. Amanze said the association would like to make the competition an annual event, but that will depend on how ITF views their ability to host it.

“The event will be part sponsored by ITF, while BTA will rely on assistance from its ‘well-wisher,’ which is older tennis players to run logistics of the competition,” he said.

BTA public relations officer, Shelton Benzah said the event will commence on Saturday with registration and pre-tournament qualifiers for local players. He said the main tournament will start next week Monday and finish on Saturday. Ends