Staff Reporter
THE Namibia Tennis Association (NTA) expressed pride in the annual Trustco NTA Junior Tennis tournament, noting increased rural participation this year.
Jandre Bezuidenhoudt, coach and tournament director, made this statement during the Trustco NTA Junior tournament, sponsored by Trustco Group Holdings Ltd (Trustco) and held at various tennis venues in Windhoek this weekend.
Playoffs and round-robin matches commenced at 14:00 on Friday, while the semi-finals and finals began on Saturday at 08:00 and 11:00, respectively.
The tournament attracted numerous entries from players aged under 8 to under 25 at Central Tennis Courts, SKW, and Police Club. Bezuidenhoudt mentioned that players from various regions, including the Kavango East Region, participated.
“Everybody is doing so much for the development of Sports. You can see it through the likes of the Rundu development program, Okahandja, and Otjiwarongo, which is also starting. NTA normally holds three or four tournaments in less urbanized areas, and slowly but surely, we are starting to see the fruits of it,” Bezuidenhoudt remarked.
He expressed enthusiasm about the tournament’s ability to attract players from Rundu and noted an increasing consistency of entries from Okahandja.
However, Bezuidenhoudt didn’t just highlight the diversity; he also expressed pride in the intensity of play in this year’s tournament.
“Personally, I am taking my hat off and admiring the intensity of tennis they are playing in the heat and the level of skill that is improving every year,” he said.
While he didn’t single out any rising stars, Bezuidenhoudt noted the presence of several strong players in this year’s tournament, especially in the under-ten category.
“What I can tell you is that we have a big pool of under 10 boys, all performing very well. It’s not just one or two that shine. In any tournament, anybody can win,” Bezuidenhoudt added.
Additionally, the tournament has begun to integrate under 8 boys to ensure early training. These achievements have been made possible through partnerships, such as the one between NTA and Trustco, aimed at establishing a robust and enduring collaboration to support the development and success of junior tennis in Namibia over the past decade.
“I would say the current challenges faced by NTA are facilities, especially in rural areas. In places like Rundu and Okahandja, the level of facilities is far below standard. These are mostly less privileged kids, and hiring sports equipment is sometimes costly. As coaches, some dig into their own pockets to pay for facilities and transport. However, NTA is doing its part by waiving entry fees for less privileged kids. With a corporate partner like Trustco, we can see that the whole atmosphere and demeanour of people are positive,” he concluded.
Bob Mould, the former president and current patron of NTA, echoed similar sentiments. He also expressed his pride in the tournament’s diverse participants and underscored the significance of community support and nurturing young tennis talents. He stressed that tournaments like this one not only highlight the value of partnerships and teamwork but also cultivate healthy competition.
“When the players are on the field, they play their hearts out. But after the game, regardless of who lost and their backgrounds, they shake hands,” he added.
