Tennis in SA

South Africa’s leading tennis player Wesley Moodie is among the entries for the South African Airways National Championships to be played at the Wanderers Tennis Club from November 27 to December 2. Last year’s Wimbledon doubles champion Moodie, who is currently ranked 125 in the world, is one of two players at the event to have represented the country at Davis Cup level, the other being Izak van der Merwe.

The sponsorship by SAA sees this tournament return to the local calendar after a number of years absence. It was formerly known as the South African Closed Championships and has been won in the past by the likes of Wayne Ferreira and Amanda Coetzer. The event carries total prize money of R80000, which will be split equally between the men and the women. “An event of this nature is vital for the development of tennis in South Africa.

In the past all the top players in the country participated in the tournament and it gave them the opportunity to be called the national champion,” said Ian Smith CEO of the SA Tennis Association (SATA). “I would like to thank South African Airways for once again supporting tennis in the country.”

Other players participating in the men’s draw include Pieter Calitz and Benjamin Janse van Rensburg, who represented SA at the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia two weeks ago. Calitz, who lost in the final of that event, was also the runner-up last month at the SA Airways Men’s ITF Futures event in Pretoria. Among the younger players are the talented pair of Rikus de Villiers and Hendrik Coertzen while a few of the old stalwarts of SA tennis, such as Louis Vosloo and Michael de Jongh, who also coached the likes of Coetzer and Mary Pierce, are in the line-up.

Lizaan du Plessis, who has played on the international tour, heads up the women’s entry. The wild cards for the men’s event are Eric Fisher, Duncan Krisjan, Hendrik Coertzen, Dean O’Brien, Karabo Maloka and Jean Anderson. There will also be a qualifying event that takes place on the weekend of November 25 and 26.