Excitement is building ahead of the Kavango East Tennis School League, scheduled for this Saturday, as learners from various schools prepare to compete and showcase their skills on the court.

Regional Tennis Coordinator Roseman Korea said the league was introduced to keep young players active and focused between national tournaments by giving them regular competitive match experience every weekend.

"The main objective is to keep them busy and focused because we only have national tournaments once a month. The regional tennis league prepares them every weekend for those national competitions," Korea said.

Korea said the league is open to players from the Kavango East, Kavango West and Zambezi regions. However, due to distance, the competition is currently limited to players based in Rundu while organisers work to expand it to other towns.

He said the biggest challenge facing the league is the lack of sponsorship and support from local businesses and appealed to companies to partner with the league to help grow the sport in the region.

Learner Emilson Ngola from Rundu Private Afrikaans School said his goal is to enjoy the game, compete without pressure and proudly represent his school."Even if I lose a game, at least I had fun and represented my school," he said.

Ngola also said he did not enjoy tennis when he first started, but developed a passion for the sport after his mother encouraged him to take part.

Kabongo Albertina from Christian Private School said she is excited to compete in the league, meet new friends, improve her skills and hopes to finish first."I feel excited. I get to meet new friends, learn new skills and I hope I will be first," she said.

The tournament is expected to attract between 20 and 27 players, providing learners with an opportunity to compete, improve their skills and gain valuable competitive experience as tennis continues to grow in the region.