Jozi’s ‘old lady of tennis’ to host inaugural SA Spring Open in September
JOBURG -– A new tennis tournament to be known as SA Spring Open will be hosted for the first time in Johannesburg in September.
Tennis South Africa, in association with Vision View Productions, a 100 per cent black-owned company that runs Vision View Sports Radio, has announced the launch of a new history-making tennis tournament in September.
Known as the SA Spring Open, the tennis tournament will be held at the Ellis Park Tennis Precinct in Johannesburg from 23 to 29 September. This historic facility is considered as the ‘old lady of tennis’ and boasts 17 courts, including an indoor facility.
The tournament has been dubbed a lifestyle event that will encompass both wheelchair and able-bodied tennis players. It will be an International Tennis Federation sanctioned event that will showcase the best of South African talent that will be pitted against the African continent and international players. It is expected to attract more than 200 participants.
Among the SA aces taking part in the tournament will be two-time grand slam wheelchair champion Lucas Sithole and his female counterpart and Wimbledon semi-finalist Kgothatso Montjane (32), including the country’s top-ranked women’s able-bodied player Chanel Simmonds.
Among a host of development, players will be up-and-coming Soweto stars such as Mbali Langa (16) and Lesego Mokgoetsi.
Speaking at the launch of the tournament, Tennis SA CEO Richard Glover said the infusion of wheelchair tennis stars and able-bodied players will make the tournament one of the first of its kind in the world.
“We look forward to seeing this combined tournament go from strength to strength and further solidify the planned integration of wheelchair tennis as a key component of Tennis SA,” Glover said.
Vision View Productions joint managing director Mafadi Mpuru lamented the decline of tennis in SA.”We saw it fit to establish the Spring Open as a way to rekindle the love for the sport and not only attract a host of international stars but to also win over the hearts of youngsters into the game,” said Mpuru.
“Many SA players struggle to develop and reach their potential as they have to travel overseas to get game time. This tournament will endeavor to change this as our children who have a love for tennis can look forward to a local event to showcase themselves without incurring enormous expenses.”
Related article:
Africa’s highest ranked women’s wheelchair tennis ace signs three-year contract with Nike
