Chakanyuka, tennis' ace in the pack
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday August 31, 2024 06:00
Chakanyuka is already making waves at 18 and is regarded as one of the country's top female talents. At the ITF J60 tournament, she teamed up with Naledi Raguin to reach the finals. Chakanyuka credits her elder sister, Tanaka, for influencing her to take up tennis. “Growing up, I watched my sister play the sport and travel places because of tennis. That made me eager to get into the sport and become as good as she was. In 2013, I decided to grab the racket and step into the court. Of course, as a student at Rainbow School in Gaborone, I was introduced to other sports, such as football, swimming, netball, and athletics. I was good at them because of my athleticism,” she said.
Chakanyuka said one needs to be motivated when they step into the court as it is not easy. She said what pushes her is the need to prove to herself that she is better than what she thinks and that she is making her parents and coach proud. Chakanyuka’s parents, Agnes and Israel, have been managing her career since it started. “Whenever I have tournaments outside the country, my father would drive me there and back. Of course, he would be there to watch me play and be my personal coach and take care of my finances. My mother would pick me up from school and take us to the tennis court for training. The support from parents has been amazing and more than I expected,” she said. Chakanyuka describes her style of play as aggressive. “My style of play is mostly being an aggressive hitter and attacker. Tennis is an individual sport so usually a person is playing for himself or herself but representing their academies and if needed they play for their country. I currently train at Notwane Tennis Centre in Gaborone,” she said.
Chakanyuka, coached by Simione Johane made her national team debut in 2021 and the highlight of her career was when she was selected to represent Botswana at the 2024 Africa Games that were hosted in Accra, Ghana. Chakanyuka said her ambition is to get into a good tennis college, which will assist her in getting exposure to other different tennis players from other colleges. She said that would lift her play and maybe that could bring in the idea of turning professional. Chakanyuka completed her high school education last year and currently taking a break for a year but her career interest is related to finance and business.
During the singles match at the recent J60 tournament at the National Tennis Centre, Chakanyuka lost 6-3, 6-3 to Alicia Taylor of South Africa in the quarterfinal. “During the recent tournament here at home, I felt like I was at a level of play I expected myself to be, although I did not go as far as I would have wanted to be in singles. I had lots of fun in the doubles as it felt as though we were playing for the crowd, which made it entertaining for us and more motivating as we enjoyed the celebration from the spectators,” Chakanyuka said. She pointed out that she enjoys partnering with Raguin in the doubles because they have played many times and they have a good connection, which is important. Chakanyuka's role model is Aryna Sabalenka, the Belarusian professional tennis player formerly ranked number one in both the singles and doubles.
FACT FILE Full name: Chelsea Chakanyuka Place of birth: May 16, 2006 Place of birth: Gaborone Sport: Tennis player Club: Notwane Achievements: Botswana Open winner 2022, 2023, 2024, South Africa ITF J60 2024 Two time doubles winner, Botswana J30 2024 Doubles winner Hobbies: Cooking Favourite meal: Anything my mother cooks