MBABANE – Eswatini’s six under-16 players are putting up a commendable performance in Botswana.
The Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) Under-16 tournament in Botswana has successfully transitioned from the individual matches phase to the high-stakes Team Championship stage, bringing renewed excitement to the competition.
This shift was confirmed yesterday by Cyprian Dlamini, Secretary General of the Eswatini National Tennis Association (ENTA) and team manager for the Eswatini squad competing in Botswana.
Following the conclusion of the individual stage on Tuesday afternoon, the focus now turned to team formats, including doubles and collective encounters.
The host nation, Botswana, ‘served’ off their team campaign with the boys’ team facing Mozambique, while the girls took on Zimbabwe.
The Eswatini squad delivered a series of gritty and determined performances during the individual matches, showcasing resilience and skill against strong regional opposition.
In the Girls’ Singles, Amantle Mngadi made a confident start, securing a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory over Kena from Botswana. She faced tougher challenges in subsequent rounds, however, falling to Busi from South Africa and Tokelo.
Sinengcebo Ntshalintshali demonstrated remarkable tenacity, battling through two gruelling tie-break marathons. She clinched hard-fought wins against Lilly from Mozambique (7-5, 4-6, 10-7) and Ayanda from Botswana (5-7, 6-4, 10-7), earning praise for her mental strength under pressure.
Sabusiswa Tsabedze produced a solid display, claiming a straight-sets victory over Pamela of Botswana with a score of 7-5, 7-5.
Sivesimile Mkhaliphi rounded off the girls’ individual campaign positively, securing a victory against her Mozambican opponent.
On the boys’ side, Zwelethu Mkhonta showed strong recovery after difficult opening matches against South Africa and Botswana, delivering a convincing 6-3, 6-3 win in his third outing.
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