Ghana’s national women’s tennis team, the Diamond Rackets, will depart for Gaborone,
Botswana, today, 9th of July, to participate in the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge
Africa Group III, scheduled to commence on 13 July 2026. The prestigious competition, regarded as the world’s premier international team event in women’s tennis, will bring together eleven African nations competing for promotion to the Europe/Africa Group II in 2027.
Joining Ghana in this year’s tournament are Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya,
Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe.
Team Ghana Ready for the Challenge
Ghana will be represented by an exciting blend of youthful talent and determination
comprising:
- Sisu-Makena Tomegah
- Gwendolyn Klu
- Tracy Ampah
- Precious Okoh
The team will be led by experienced coach Bernard Ashitey Armaah, who has expressed
confidence in the players’ preparation and readiness to compete at the highest level.
The competition format will see the 11 participating nations divided into one group of three
teams and two groups of four teams, competing in a two-stage round-robin format.
At the end of the tournament: - The top two nations will earn promotion to the Europe/Africa Group II in 2027.
- The bottom two nations will be relegated to Africa Group IV in 2027.
Although Ghana enters the tournament as one of the unseeded teams, the players remain
determined to challenge the continent’s established tennis nations and demonstrate the
steady progress Ghana has made in women’s tennis over recent years.
Intensive Residential Preparation
Ahead of the tournament, the Diamond Rackets underwent an intensive week-long
residential training camp in Accra, focusing on technical development, tactical preparation,
physical conditioning, mental resilience, and team bonding.
Captain Bernard Ashitey Armaah commended the residential camping program, describing it
as a significant boost to the team’s preparation. “The residential training allowed us to work extensively on all aspects of our game without distractions. The players have trained exceptionally hard, their commitment has been outstanding, and we are optimistic they will give their very best for Ghana.
We know the competition will be tough, but we are prepared to compete with determination and pride.”
President Expresses Profound Appreciation to Sponsors President of the Ghana Tennis Federation, Isaac Aboagye Duah, expressed profound gratitude to the GTF Board, corporate institutions, foundations, parents, and individuals whose generous support made Ghana’s participation possible.
He acknowledged that securing sponsorship this year had been particularly challenging due
to the heightened corporate focus on the FIFA World Cup, in which Ghana participated.
“On behalf of the Ghana Tennis Federation Board, I wish to express our deepest appreciation
to all our sponsors and partners who believed in our vision and invested in our young athletes.
This year’s fundraising was particularly challenging because many corporate resources and
marketing budgets have understandably been directed towards football during the FIFA World
Cup year. Despite these challenges, our sponsors stood firmly behind Ghana Tennis,
demonstrating their commitment to the development of women’s sports and tennis in Ghana.”
In addition to his personal contribution, Mr. Duah reserved special appreciation for:
- Dot.Atelier Foundation
- Stanbic Bank Ghana
- GTS Drilling
- Ecobank Development Corporation (EDC)
- A10 Foundation
- CBG Bank
- Mr Isaac Tomegah
- Mr Maxwell Gidi
- Amb. Ramses Cleland
- Dr Joseph Wiredu
- Nii Plants Logistics
- Mr Cedric Dzelu
- Mr Henry Larbi
- Mr Henry Boni-Quarshie
He also thanked the parents of the players and the many individuals who contributed
financially and morally towards the team’s preparations.
“Every contribution, whether financial, logistical or moral, has played a vital role in making
this journey possible. Your support has given these young ladies the opportunity to proudly
wear the national colours on the international stage. We are sincerely grateful and look
forward to building even stronger partnerships that will help Ghana Tennis continue its
remarkable growth.”