Three points, that is what is needed on Sunday for the players of tennis club Bargeres to become champions in the Dutch big league and to get a place in the Eredivisie for next season. After an unbeaten run of five matches in the spring competition, it can no longer go wrong for the five talented tennis players.
One of those players is 14-year-old Niloufar Shahanggir, who is looking forward to Sunday. “I am very pleased that we have come this far, but also exciting. We do not know what will happen, but we will be on track with full conviction.” She looks forward to the championship match with all confidence: “We are already there with three wins.”
Trainer Ruud Koning also looks satisfied and expresses his praise for the young ladies. “The girls have a lot to spare for tennis. On average they train between ten and fifteen hours a week.” Although Koning works with young children, according to him the players on the court are adults. “As a team they coach each other and are very strong.”
The age of the players varies from 13 to 17 years. In the spring competition, the girls often compete against mature ladies with a lot of experience. Still, that doesn’t seem to matter much in this competition. Koning: “If we as a club can reach the Eredivisie at women’s level together, then that is a unique achievement.” The Eredivisie is the highest achievable competition in the Netherlands.
The trainer does not claim success, according to him the club has also contributed. “I think the association has created the policy and facilities to make this happen. In addition, it is the development of the trainers and the technical staff that ensure that children can develop.” According to Koning, it is precisely this combination that is part of the success.
Niloufar believes that the team spirit is good. “Everyone just has the same ambitions and we respond to that. We are all very pleasant with each other. We are positive not only on the track but also off the track.” The tennis players play both singles and doubles in the competition and each win yields one point.
In the spring competition, Koning’s formation is largely in charge. With 28 points scored in both singles and doubles, the team has not lost a game yet. The league’s runner-up, KZTV, is ten points short of the upcoming champion.
The number three, Nootdorp, will visit on Sunday. Koning: “I think it is a good team that has also achieved results, but they have also lost points. We are looking forward to this with great pleasure.”
Although Bargeres has yet to become champion, Niloufar already dares to look ahead at a possible party. “I think we will celebrate well here at the club. We also talked about a joint barbecue with all the parents who helped.” But before that happens, there must be at least three wins this weekend.
The confrontation with Nootdorp will start on Sunday at 1.30 pm on the clay court in Bargeres. After this meeting, there is one more round on the program before the spring competition ends.