20 Jun 2023

Bakang Maloka of Moshupa Spinners and Tshepiso Rebatenne of Nhabe table tennis clubs are the 2023 champions of Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) Phoenix Assurance National Super League.

The duo ended the league in grand style winning their last two league matches over the weekend to defend the titles they had won in 2022, each pocketing P8 000.
Runners up settled for P5 000 and P3 000 consecutively.  

On the women’s side the country’s top seeded player, Rebatenne was untouchable as she won all her matches since the commencement of the leagues.

Rebatenne continued with her winning streak defeating Game Kebodiwang of BDF 4-0.

Despite struggling in her last game against an equally competent opponent, Constance Kuswani of BDF, Rebatenne emerged victorious.

Rebatenne won the first set, only for Kuswani to gather her strength to win the following two sets. However, with a defeat on her sight, Rebatenne regrouped, winning the last three sets and settle for a 4-2 win.

Maloka on the other side proved his mettle to ultimately emerge victorious on the men’s side as it was closely contested after defeating Tiro Leshomo of Smash Maniacs 4-1 as well as dominating Tshenolo Mooketsi of BDF white washing him 4-0.

In a post-match interview, Maloka said though impressed with his performance to retain his title, said unlike in the league’s competition was fierce till the last day.

Maloka said almost all the players were determined to claim the prize. “All the players have prepared well for the tournament, that is why I failed to win my first two games of the league,” he said.

Despite starting the league on a low note, Maloka believed that working hard and being focused had helped him in defending the title.  

He said commitment and intensive training resulted in the positive results.

Maloka said it takes patience and dedication for one to win a league. He said the league matches were concluded after seven sets, therefore tedious, aadding that without focus and patience one was bound to drop points.

He said though playing one of the prolific table tennis players in the country (Mooketsi) in his last match, he was more relaxed as he had already secured the title by winning his previous match, therefore a win in his last match was a bonus. Maloka said he was determined to continue with his impressive form.

The women’s champion, Rebatenne said compared to the tournaments prior to the league, it was a tough encounter as it was a contest of the top eight best players in the country.

She said all the players had an equal chance of winning the title that last year, she lost one game on her road to winning the league, therefore her target was to win all her matches in the recently concluded league.

Rebatenne said achieving her feat was tedious as she was forced to perform exceptionally well in all her matches, therefore amassing pressure.

Rebatenne said hard work had paid off and therefore putting her previous victories in the past and focusing on what she was faced with helped a lot in winning all her matches.

She said the last game of the league piled pressure on her as she was engulfed by the likelihood of losing and therefore not achieving her target.

Rebatenne said the coming tournament prior to the ITTF Region V qualifiers would be used as part of the preparations.

BTTA vice president - technical, Kabo Mosarwe said the league, coupled with other tournaments was used to prepare national team players for the coming ITTF Southern Africa Region qualifiers to be hosted by Botswana from June 28.

He said since the national team did not have enough training camps as it was anticipated, the league gave them the much-needed training.

“He wanted them to be active, hence we came up with a league that lasted for three months,” he said.

Mosarwe was equally impressed with the performance of individual players, adding that even those in the national team were impressive in the league.

Despite challenges such as poor lighting in the hall and power cuts due to load shedding affecting evening league games, Mosarwe said the league was successful.

Mosarwe applauded Phoenix Assurance Company for partnering with BTTA not only for the league, but all events of BTTA.

He said getting a sponsor of such magnitude was an element of growth, adding that the company would still be with them in the next event. ENDS