Tennis South Africa is proud to announce an expansion to the annual RCS Rising Star Tennis series which will be held for the seventh consecutive year in 2026.
The popular nationwide schools tennis series will again include district and provincial competitions for primary school children in the Green Ball category (for pupils born in 2014 or earlier) as well as a Wheelchair division.
In addition, the successful development series will feature a new Orange Ball category to be held for players born in 2015 or later, which will be held at district level.
Thousands of players from hundreds of schools in all nine provinces will compete in district and provincial tournaments between April and September 2026, and the RCS Rising Star National Finals (featuring the winning provincial teams) will be contested at the national finals between 30 October and 1 November 2026 ‘venue to be confirmed’.
Trophies will be awarded to provincial and national champions in the Green Ball and Wheelchair categories, and medals will be awarded to the Orange Ball winners at district level.
Regan Adams, CEO of RCS, said ‘at RCS, we believe that real impact starts with creating access – to opportunity, to development and to hope. The RCS Rising Star Tennis series has become a powerful platform for uncovering young talent and giving primary school learners from all communities the chance to experience the game, grow in confidence and develop life skills that extend far beyond the court. As we enter our seventh consecutive season, we are proud to see this programme expand to include even more children, including the introduction of the Orange Ball category and the continued inclusion of wheelchair tennis. This initiative reflects our commitment to investing in the next generation and building a future where every child has the opportunity to rise.”
With the RCS Group and Tennis South Africa showing full support to schools which participate in the annual programme, entry will be free, while tennis balls and officials will be provided to host schools at no cost.
Travel and accommodation support will also be provided to participating schools travelling more than 200km for the provincial finals and the national finals.
RCS Rising Star Tennis aims to create opportunities for primary school boys and girls from all communities, while increasing youth participation in tennis.
This initiative is made possible through the continued support and sponsorship of the RCS Group, one of South Africa’s largest consumer finance businesses and a subsidiary of BNP Paribas.