Raguin makes history for Botswana at Australian Open Junior Champs
Ntungamili Raguin will have had very little time to open any presents on his 17th birthday today.
Less than 24 hours after he recorded his maiden Junior Grand Slam match-win at the Australian Open Junior Championships, he was back in action, teaming up with Odysseas Geladaris of Greece against the American fourth seeds Keaton Hance and Tanishk Konduri in the boys' doubles. It was a match they eventually lost 7-6(5) 3-6 8-10.
Raguin looked disappointed but has already made headlines in his native Botswana and beyond by becoming the first player on record from his nation to compete at a Grand Slam. The 16-year-old confirms he is not just back back page news back home but front page also.
Testament to his popularity was the courtside singing via spectators (from Botswana but now living locally) that accompanied his three-set first-round win over Bulgaria’s Dimitar Kisimov on Sunday.
“In Botswana they've been talking a lot about me because I've been the first player to take part in a Grand Slam," said Raguin. "That’s why a lot of people have been coming.
Put aside the backstory and, in pure tennis terms, Raguin is very much a player in form and has played a lot of matches of late. Just to make the main draw of the boys' draw here, he was required to win two qualifying matches.
Last week he played the J300 Traralgon, the traditional junior warm-up event for the Australian Open, where he again came through qualifying before reaching the semi-finals. This follows him winning three tournaments - J100 Nairobi, J60 Gaborone and J100 Gaborone - towards the backend of 2025.
Much of the momentum is down to an intensive physical training at a camp in Aix-En-Provence - in which former world No. 4 Thomas Enqvist has a stake - in December.
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“I've been playing really well," he added. "Before coming here I trained for two months in the south of France,” he said. “I've been having amazing results, so I'm pretty happy.”
Coach Killian Sinclair, who was a key part of the pre-Christmas build-up, has travelled to Australia with Raguin on his first ever trip here. They both feel that Melbourne has been a revelation with a trip to the beach already ticked off.
On court this week, while each round is being approached with a ‘one match at a time’ philosophy, ambitions are high.
“I know I can beat most of the players in the draw,” said Raguin, who currently sits at a career-high No. 91 in the ITF World Tennis Tour boys' rankings.
Raguin has played tennis since the age of four. Tennis in Botswana can be an expensive pursuit, although his father, Dominic, opened a tennis school where he played until his family moved to France when Raguin was eight.
School, as with many 17-year-olds, remains part of the equation, with maths his subject of choice.
“I'm a bit late with my schoolwork," he added. "I have my exams in June this year. It's pretty tough doing school and going to tournaments.”
Excessive heat has been an issue during the early stages of the Australian Open Junior Championships, but even with temperatures topping 40 degrees, that has not negatively impacted Raguin, whose game is built upon consistency, fitness and belief.
The importance of momentum in tennis cannot be underrated. Raguin has now won 22 of his past 23 singles matches and will fancy his chances against anyone. He also has an impeccable Davis Cup record, having made his debut for Botswana last year and won crucial matches as his nation was promoted to Africa Group IV.
No. 15 seed Gavin Goode from the United States is next up the second round with No. 2 seed Luis Guto Miguel of Brazil a potential opponent in round three.
Raguin's is a great story and one with potential to get better and better.