Gaborone — On January 24, the world will watch as the Australian Open Junior Championship officially begins, but for Botswana's Ntungamili Raguin, the preparation for this moment started over a decade ago.
Raguin enters the tournament in peak form, fuelled by a rigorous developmental path and recent high-profile victories.
His readiness was on full display during the qualifying rounds, where he dominated his opponents to become the first Motswana ever to reach the Australian Open Junior main draw.
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The journey to Melbourne Park was a masterclass in focus. In his opening qualifying match, Raguin dispatched Australian Elijah Dikkenber with a confident 6-2, 6-3 victory.
However, it was his second-round performance that truly resonated back home.
On January 22, Batswana woke up to the news that Raguin had swept aside Japan's Riku Nakamoto with a commanding 6-3, 6-0 win.
Raguin's rise is a 'full circle' story that began 12 years ago in Francistown. As a four-year-old boy in Area W, he was simply fascinated by the racket and the red developmental balls.
His former coach and current Botswana Tennis Association president, Oaitse Thipe, recalls those early days with pride.
"When he started, he just enjoyed playing and hitting the ball. He was talented and that is exactly what we love to see in young players," Thipe said.
Raguin's qualification is not just a personal victory but a beacon for the future of Botswana tennis. His momentum built significantly last year after winning prestigious J60 and J100 tournaments on home soil.
"The young players watched him win in November, now seeing him on the world's biggest stage will definitely inspire them. Tennis participation in the country is set to rise because of this," he added.
Thipe attributed such success to a long journey that was supported by the relentless hard work of Raguin's parents and his coaching team.
As the tournament kicks off on January 24 and runs through February 2, a nation stands behind the boy from Francistown who turned a childhood hobby into a historic sporting feat.
