Kaitlin helps team take second place

DURBAN junior tennis player Kaitlin Ramduth helped the South African team take second place at the under-12 Southern African Junior Team Championships in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, recently.

Kaitlin, left, pictured flying the South African flag with teammates Hanmaré McAslin, and Mari-Louise van Zyl at the international tournament, saw her team register a 2-1 victory against the host nation after they claimed both the singles matches.

They lost the doubles match 5-10 in the tie-break decider.

They suffered a reverse result against Madagascar.

The tie was level after the two singles matches.

In the doubles, the SA girls lost 11-13 in the third set tiebreaker.

This event serves as a qualifying event for the under-12 African Junior Teams competition that takes place in August.

Kaitlin was recently named in the KwaZulu-Natal Primary School Association’s under-13 A squad.

Meanwhile, the KwaZuluNatal Tennis Association (KZNTA) launched its new Lollipop series for beginner junior players at the Ugu Tournament at the Uvongo Tennis Club on the South Coast recently.

The series, which is part of the association’s various tournaments, sees beginner players in the under-10 groups receive a wrist band for every KZNTA tournament they enter, or for every accredited coaches tournament that they participate in.

Ten wristbands will qualify a player for a gold medal, seven for silver and three for bronze.

Ultimately, they could qualify to receive a trophy.

There will be a bonus award for entering a minimum of five KZNTA tournaments.

Players do not have to be registered with KZNTA to participate in the Lollipop series events.

The series is already under way and runs until December.