20 May 2025

Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) will hold the Botswana Open Tennis Championships next month. 

The championships, which is one of the important events in the BTA calendar, will be held from June 27 to July 1, at the National Tennis Centre in Gaborone.

BTA vice president, Nonofo Othusitse said in an interview that the championships would provides a platform for local and regional players to compete against international players, offering exposure to high-level competition.

This year, he said they were looking at having their top players taking part in both the men and women categories.

Othusitse said most of their US based players such as Denzel Seetso, Leungo Monnayoo, Batsomi Marobela, Ekua Refilwe Youri, and Mark Nawa would join the likes of Naledi Raguin, Chelsea Chakanyuka, and Seabo Saleshando in this year’s edition.

The players, he said would use the event as part of preparations for the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup.

He said for the 2025 edition they expected to attract around 150 players, adding that they were also expecting players from countries such as Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and eSwatini.

“You would note that at the moment Botswana does not host any professional tennis events and we intend to change this through the Botswana Open,” he said.

Othusitse said while they had six week of international junior ranking tournaments, players faced limited opportunities as they graduated to senior level.

In that regard, he said Botswana Open offered an opportunity as it would open doors for players to compete in an international event that attracts not only substantial prize money but ranking points as well.

Othusitse said their biggest dream was to upgrade the Botswana Open to an international event, gaining ITF World Tennis Tour recognition and sanctioning so that players could have an opportunity to compete at home.

He said BTA recognised that the high-level ambitions would require full support and endorsement from a number of stakeholders such of Government, BNSC, BNOC, private sector hence they continue to engage with them.

Othusitse however said preparations for the event started earlier in the year, and that they had approached various business entities to come on board and partner with them.

“We are appealing to corporate in Botswana to join us on this journey which not only benefits tennis but the country as well. A funded Botswana Open can contribute towards economic diversification through sports tourism,” he said. ENDS