Rebatenne to defend title
Rebatenne acknowledged that most of the current female players are in good physical condition and she expects tougher challenge this time around.
“It’s not going to be easy, they are in good shape [physically], it’s hard to predict who will go through to the finals and that is interesting. Boitshwarelo Butale and Olerato Ramagapu; these are two of my toughest opponents. I need maximum focus to overcome them, I’ve won against them before but it is always with slim margins, it is never easy,” she said. Currently holding the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Level 1 coaching certificate, the star player also revealed that, she has added training under 12 year old kids to her program as she looks to impart her skills and knowledge onto the younger generation. She further told this publication that her intentions are to acquire level 2 coaching certificate but also with keen interest to become an umpire. “After my career I think I will move into coaching but only for the beginners, I am more interested in umpiring,” Rebatenne revealed her plans. She further highlighted that since Phoenix Assurance Group came in to sponsor the local game, there has been an improvement on the standards of the game. “Since Phoenix came on board, things have been better, players can financially rely on table tennis to assist them on various issues.
It has also generated a lot of interest because of the incentives in the tournaments,” she said. According to BTTA, the purpose of the tournament is to keep the players fit and ready for future international events. BTTA Public Relations Officer, Tshegofatso Malepa said the preparations are going well to deliver a spectacular event. “Everything is going well and before the end of tomorrow [Wednesday], we will have drafted the fixtures for the event. We are also expecting international athletes just like we did last year but at the moment I cannot confirm their number,” Malepa stated. Phoenix are also believed to have availed at least 20 scholarships, student insurance policies, with emphasis on academically empowering athletes to prepare them for life after retirement.