Hilma Nalupe
Ronaldo Uirab’s journey into the world of tennis began with a simple after-school programme called Bernard Nord Camp (BNC) and has since turned into a story of passion and perseverance.
Born and raised in the capital city, Windhoek, Uirab describes himself as a people’s person who enjoys lending a helping hand wherever he can.
As the eldest child in his family, he grew up with a sense of responsibility and leadership qualities that now shine through on and off the tennis court.
Uirab attended Eldorado Secondary School, and later went to the Physically Active Youth Centre for an after-school programme and there he started swimming, cycling and competing in T-rex triathlons and duathlons. He was first introduced to tennis through the BNC after-school programme. “They offered to teach us a new sport, and I decided to join and from that day, I became addicted to the sport,” he said.
Although he had no role model at the beginning, Uirab found inspiration as he became more focused on the sport. “As time went on and I got more exposed, Toki Jacobs became my inspiration to do my best,” he said.
Uirab applied for the Emergency Medical Care programme at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in 2018, but unfortunately did not make it through.
Thereafter, he went to upgrade his points at Namibian College of Open Learning and re-applied to NUST in 2020, and he was accepted.
His achievements are a testament to his dedication. Uirab was a member of the Namibian team at the 2013 Cosafa Ball Games and has consistently remained among the country’s top eight male tennis players.
Currently ranked number three in Namibia, he has competed in numerous Top 8 Juniors tournaments between 2013 and 2015 and Top 8 Seniors tournaments from 2022 to 2025.
Notable accomplishments include taking second place in both singles and doubles during the third national tournament and securing a runner-up finish in doubles at the prestigious HMKV Top 8 Invitational Tournament.
His talent has also been recognised at the academic level.
Between 2022 and 2024, he was the Best Player of the Year at the NUST Sport Awards.
Looking ahead, Uirab sees a future filled with possibility, not only as a player but also as a mentor and leader in the sport. “Tennis is diverse; there are a lot of paths,” he said.
Now a coach at the Central Tennis Club, Uirab is also training to become a tennis official. His journey is far from over, it’s ever growing.
– hilmanalup@gmail.com