04 Feb 2026

Botswana is set to host the Men's and women's ITF World Tennis Tour professional events. The tournaments are expected to attract a significant influx of international players and officials to the National Tennis Centre from May 11-23.
There is no doubt that Botswana tennis is entering one of the most promising periods in its history, fuelled by a surge of exceptional junior talent. Notably, Ntungamili Raguin recently made headlines by qualifying for Junior Grand Slam events, including the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Alongside Raguin, several other junior stars are showing immense potential, with many eyeing the top 100 position in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Junior Rankings. Achieving such a ranking is a critical gateway, allowing athletes to qualify for or better prepare for the prestigious Junior Grand Slam stage. These emerging talents include Tinashe Phatshwane, Lebone Tlape, Malak Macheng and Angel Chakanyuka.
Furthermore, Botswana continues to excel in the college tennis pathway, with standout players such as Ekua Youri, Chelsea Chakanyuka, Denzel Seetso, Batsomi Marobela and Mark Nawa.
In recognition of this growing depth, the Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) has taken strategic steps to host ITF World Tennis Tour Junior tournaments. These events expose local players to elite international competition while allowing them to earn valuable global ranking points on home soil.
At the senior level, the BTA is now advancing its efforts to host professional events, providing a viable platform for players to transition into professional careers following their junior development.
In an interview, BTA vice president, Nonofo Othusitse noted that in line with international standards, each tournament was identified by gender, prize money and host city. The upcoming events will be designated as M15 Gaborone for the men and W15 Gaborone for the women.
“An M15 tournament represents a men’s event offering US$15 000 (over P200 000) in prize money, while a W15 tournament is the women’s equivalent,” Othusitse explained.
Over the two-week period, Botswana will host four tournaments in total, two for men and two for women. These competitions will allow local athletes to earn crucial international ranking points and compete for a share of the US$ 15 000 purse per tournament.
Othusitse emphasised that this was a significant milestone, as the ITF World Tennis Tour served as the foundational level of professional tennis and also functioned as the primary bridge linking the Junior circuit to the higher tiers of global professional tennis.
Because ranking points earned at these events are incorporated into the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) systems, players have the opportunity to progress to the Challenger Tour, the ATP/WTA Tour and ultimately the Grand Slams.
For Botswana, hosting the M15 and W15 Gaborone tournaments aligns with the Botswana National Sport Commission’s Vision 2028, which seeks to enhance the impact of sport on society, improve athlete performance and elevate the hosting of major events. Furthermore, the initiative supports the country’s Vision 2036, which positions sport as a key contributor to national economic growth. ENDS