Why tennis prodigies are valued so highly

MASERU – 17-year-old Kamohelo Khethisa and 20-year-old Lerato Mathibela have been tennis partners for as long as they can remember.

Both starlets are in the Cosmos Tennis Academy and are regarded as the academy’s top prospects.

The duo was paired together at the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games last year and two weeks ago they left the country to compete in a junior tennis championship in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

It was the first time Khethisa and Mathibela went to a competition to compete for International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior ranking points and the pair showed just why they are so highly-rated.

Khethisa and Mathibela finished third when they teamed up in the doubles competition.

In the singles they dominated as both advanced to the final where Khethisa got the better of his pal, Mathibela.

Khethisa opened up their bond and said they are brothers.

Khethisa said Mathibela usually wins when the two meet, but he was determined not to lose to his older brother this time around.

“The first match I played at the tournament was a warm up because it wasn’t my first time at a tournament, I had knowledge on what to do in the first round, it is tough,” Khethisa said.

“I played in the quarter-finals then we went to series and in the semi-finals, we played well together and met each other in the final,” he said.

“We always play against each other but he beats me most of the time but I told myself that I am going to play (my best),” he continued.

Khethisa lauded Mathibela for being a good partner saying they talk regularly and give each other tips. The two will once again be paired together in the Southern African Christian Schools Sports Association (SACSSA) games later this year.

Khethisa said they are hoping to do better than they did last year when they won a bronze medal.

“I motivate him and build him up. I tell him ‘I love you’ more than anything, ‘you are my spirit’ because he is more powerful than I am. The more I build him up, the more we become too much for the opposing players. I know my worth. I am good at the net. He is good with serving, he is a good partner,” he said.

He said after watching the main draw finals they saw weaknesses in the players but the difference is the number of tournaments they attend to prepare themselves.

“You have to go to a lot of tournaments to become the best player, to have more ITF points, there are tournaments that I can’t go to, there is one in Pretoria,” Khethisa said.

“We can’t go because we don’t have points but because we have started, I can promise good work, effort and good results. We are working hard.”

Tlalane Phahla