TOP OF THE POPS
Mooketsi returns to table tennis summit after two years in the wilderness
AFTER two tough years in which he slipped steadily down the rankings, table tennis star, Tshenolo Mooketsi, has returned to claim his crown at the top of the pile.
Once again ranked the best male player in the land, the hardhitting 23-year-old has been in scintillating form since the start of the year, smashing his way to victory in both the Nhabe Open and Clash of Titans tournaments.
Mooketsi, who turns out for the BDF Table Tennis Club, is also well placed in the Phoenix Super League and currently sits third in the eight-player table, with a game in hand on the top two.
Boasting six wins and two losses to his name, the youngster has his sights set firmly on catching current log-leader, Bakang Maloka - the man he replaced at the summit of the Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) Rankings!
Although he is confident he has the game to win the league, Mooketsi is determined not to let his recent success go to his head.
“I would like to maintain my self-confidence in order to scoop everything that is on offer, which is my biggest dream. But I will need to create room for disappointment as well! Now being a top-ranked player, this means I have to work hard and concentrate in order to consolidate my position at the top, which I struggled to reach!” reflects the levelheaded youth, who was ranked seventh when the league commenced back in February.
The new Number One tells Voice Sport he has a simple plan to ensure his stay at the top is a long one.
“Focusing, concentrating and working really hard would guarantee me success this season, and this will help me maintain a positive attitude towards every game I play.”
Indeed, it was a lack of focus and an ill-timed bout of coronavirus that contributed to Mooketsi’s slide down the rankings last time around.
“My attention was a little bit shifted to school work as I could not train properly because of the workload. The outbreak of Covid-19 also affected my performance drastically. I tested positive moments before the tournaments began and that was a great setback,” he explained.
Mooketsi takes on Smash Maniacs’ Boago Malabela on Saturday as he looks to close the two-point gap on the in-form Maloka, who, after losing his first two matches, is on a sevengame winning streak. Despite his excellent league performances, the Moshupa Spinners legend has dropped to fourth in the rankings.