14 Jul 2026

Botswwna tennis sensation, Ntungamili Raguin has written another chapter in African sports history, becoming the first-ever player from Botswana to reach the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Junior Championships. 

Partnering with Nigeria’s Oluwaseun Peter Ogunsakin, the unseeded duo captured the hearts of tennis followers across the continent during their historic doubles run at the All England Club in London.

Although, they did not make it to the final after losing to the tournament’s top-seeded favourites, Luis Miguel Guto from Brazil and Ziska Sesko from Slovekia in a deciding match tiebreak 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), 10-6, proved they were not pushovers. The unseeded players dropped the opening set 3-6 but fought back with composure to steal a second-set tiebreak 7-6 (10-8). 

In the deciding match tiebreak, the top seeded players narrowly edged out the African duo 10-6 to claim a final 6-3, 6-7, 10-6 victory. 

Despite bowing out, Raguin and Ogunsakin exit the tournament as the first players in the history of their nations to ever reach a Junior Grand Slam semi-final.

Botswana Tennis Association president, Oaitse Thipe described Ntungamili’s performance as, ‘Out of this world’.

He said his ability to seize the moment after fighting his way into the main draw of the doubles demonstrated that he was growing with every tournament.

Thipe said the player did well in the opening rounds, showing maturity at every stage of the tournament. 

“Despite playing against the highest-ranked junior players in the world, Raguin and his partner gave absolutely everything, refusing to be intimidated and pushing the tournament favourites into a deciding set,” he said.

He said Ntungamili’s Wimbledon success was no fluke, but rather a continuation of a breakout season for the rising star. ENDS