Exciting South African squash prospect Awande Malinga is relishing the opportunity to gauge her progress against the country’s top women players when the Growthpoint SA Nationals take place next week. The country’s premier individual domestic tournament adopts a new format this year, with eight qualifying events being held around the country before the winners of each duel for the top honours on the all-glass court at the Brooklyn Mall in Pretoria from October 15 to 17. The 15-year-old Malinga, who lives in Pretoria and is a Grade 9 pupil at Midstream College in Centurion, has made her mark in the junior ranks, punching above her age. When she was 14 last year, she finished as the number two player in the u.16 division. That represented an improvement from ninth the previous year and a sure indication the Northerns teen is one to watch. Now, in a year which has been frustrating for sportsmen worldwide because of Covid-19, Malinga is looking forward to some real competition. She will compete in the Northerns qualifier from October 8 to 11, where she is seeded fourth, behind former pro star Farrah Sterne, Helena Coetzee and Makgosi Peloakgosi. “I am definitely excited to play against some of the top females in South Africa so I can see where I stand among them, as well as to improve my squash game,” she said. Introduced to the game by her father, Celumusa, she shows a certain maturity by focusing not only on results. “I must say that playing squash is more about fun, loving the game, playing with your friends and improving my performance – it’s not all just about winning,” Malinga stated. Selected for the SA Schools team for the first time in 2017, she took part on the annual Asian tour of Malaysia and Singapore, something she repeated in 2019.

She has helped her school represent Gauteng North at the SA Top Schools tournament, winning all her matches at number one, and has been the province’s top U16 player for the past three years. Other achievements include being a quarterfinalist at 2019 SA Nationals, being the Tuks Squash High School girls’ champion in 2019 and being named the best junior squash girl in her first year in high school last year. Showing her versatility, she won the athletics Junior Victrix Ludorum at her school. Adding to her education is the experience she has gained representing University of Pretoria in the Northerns women’s first league. Malinga’s success in the game is undoubtedly based on the positive attitude she shows, despite the strenuous and challenging nature of the sport. During the Covid lockdown, Malinga took time to review her game from different angles. “I focused on improving my mental state and also working on movement, as well as racket skills and technique. I feel like I achieved something with that,” she commented. As she looks ahead, she has set her sights on being the SA women’s champion and to earn her senior national colours, while she also wants to broaden her education by competing in international junior tournaments.  

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