29 Jun 2026

The transition from the sun-baked hard courts of Botswana to the slick, pristine grass of London is one of the steepest learning curves in professional tennis.

For 17-year-old Ntungamili Raguin, that education began this week under the grey skies of Roehampton.

While his singles journey at the J300 Roehampton Championships ended in a 6-3, 6-2 final qualifying round defeat to Slovenia’s Svit Suljic, the scoreboard only tells a fraction of the story.

The young Motswana is not looking back, and supported closely by his father and manager, Dominique Raguin, his eyes are already fixed on the Wimbledon Junior Championships qualifiers, which will take place in London from July 2 to 3.

For the Francistown School of Tennis alumnus, stepping onto the lawns of Roehampton was a leap into the unknown.

It marked his first-ever competitive appearance on a grass surface, yet, Raguin adapted with the instinct of a natural competitor.

In the opening qualifying round against Agassi Rusher of the United States, Raguin stared down a 0-3 deficit in the first set and later trailed 5-7 in the decisive match tiebreak.

Showing the mental resilience that is fast becoming his trademark, he fought back to capture a historic 3-6, 6-1, 10-8 victory, securing Botswana’s first-ever international match win on grass.

The performance drew high praise back home, as Botswana Tennis Association president Oaitse Thipe said the association was happy with Raguin’s displays on the unfamiliar surface.

Thipe said the opening victory against the American, specifically his ability to fight back from behind, serves as a clear indication that the young star has the temperament to go far in global tennis.

This English campaign is the latest chapter in a breakthrough 2026 season that has rewritten Botswana’s sports history.

In January, Raguin became the first player from Botswana to not only compete but win a main-draw match at a junior Grand Slam, storming into the Round of 16 at the Australian Open.

That performance solidified his place on the global stage.

During the tour, Raguin travels under the watchful eye of his technical coach, Killian Sinclair, who handles his daily tactical adjustments.

As Raguin fine-tunes his game alongside Sinclair ahead of his historic bid at the All-England Club, he does so with the full backing of his nation.

The straight-sets loss to Suljic is a minor bump on a steep developmental road, but with his historic first grass-court matches under his belt, the pioneer from Botswana is ready for the biggest stage of all. ends