LOUIS TRICHARDT – Young Tendani Ramulifho, the number one tennis player of Louis Trichardt Secondary School caused quite a stir when he beat his twice as tall opponent from Merensky with an impressive 12-0 on Friday May 3.

Tendani, a Grade 8 learner and still in the U/14 age group is the new tennis sensation of Louis Trichardt Secondary School. Being the number one player he usually has to compete against players in Grade 11 or 12. The previous week he won 8-3 against Capricorn's number one.

Last year Tendani was selected to play in the U/12 South African team as number one against other African countries, including Angola and Nigeria. In 2000 and 2001 he was invited to play in the Nike Junior Tournament at Sun City. He was also voted 1999's most promising young player in South Africa by the South African Tennis Association.

Since the age of five, Tendani is coached by his father, Mr Gideon Ramulifho who resides in Thohoyandou.

"At five I joined my sister who used to play tennis," remembers Tendani. He attended pre-school and primary school at Tshikevha Christian School.

During the Inter-Provincial Tennis Tournament in Bloemfontein held from April 27 to 30, Ramulifho represented the Northern Province in the U/14 team as their number one player. He won all his matches and his team came fifth. Sixteen provinces as well as Namibia contended in the tournament.

"Tennis is about fun and winning and it needs a lot of hard work and practice," says Tendani. His dream is to represent his country in the Davis Cup and to win Wimbledon one day.