Gaborone: Ghana's national women's tennis team, the Diamond Rackets, have arrived in Gaborone, Botswana, to compete in the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Africa Group III, scheduled for July 13 to 18, 2026. The prestigious tournament, regarded as the world's premier international team competition in women's tennis, will feature 11 African countries battling for promotion to the Europe/Africa Group II in 2027.
According to Ghana News Agency, participating nations include hosts Botswana, Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, and Ghana. Ghana's contingent comprises a blend of youthful talent and determination, including Sisu-Makena Tomegah, Gwendolyn Klu, Tracy Ampah, and Precious Okoh. The team will be guided by experienced coach Bernard Ashitey Armaah, who expressed confidence in the players' preparation and readiness to compete against the continent's best.
The competition format will see the 11 teams divided into one group of three and two groups of four, with nations competing in a two-stage round-robin format. At the end of the competition, the top two teams will gain promotion to the Europe/Africa Group II in 2027, while the bottom two sides will be relegated to Africa Group IV.
Although Ghana enters the tournament as one of the unseeded teams, the Diamond Rackets remain determined to challenge the established tennis nations and showcase the steady progress of women's tennis in Ghana. Coach Armaah described the camping programme as a major boost to the team's readiness, noting that the residential training allowed them to work extensively on all aspects of their game without distractions.
Isaac Aboagye Duah, President of the Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF), expressed appreciation to sponsors, partners, parents, and individuals whose support made Ghana's participation possible. He acknowledged that fundraising for the team had been challenging due to increased corporate attention towards football activities. Duah praised organizations and individuals including Dot.Atelier Foundation, Stanbic Bank Ghana, GTS Drilling, Ecobank Development Corporation (EDC), A10 Foundation, CBG Bank, Isaac Tomegah, Maxwell Gidi, Ambassador Ramses Cleland, Dr. Joseph Wiredu, Nii Plants Logistics, Cedric Dzelu, Henry Larbi, and Henry Boni-Quarshie for their contributions.
He also thanked the parents of the players and other supporters who contributed financially and morally towards the team's preparations. Duah asserted that Ghana's unseeded status would not affect the team's ambition, insisting that matches are decided on the court rather than rankings. The Diamond Rackets are expected to represent Ghana with discipline, resilience, and the true spirit of sportsmanship as they seek to make an impact in Gaborone, Botswana.