Montjane shines bright in Melbourne
WESTDENE – Disabled tennis player Kgothatso Montjane wins women's doubles in Australia.
Wheelchair tennis player and Westdene resident Kgothatso Montjane (KG) added another international doubles’ title to her name at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) level 2 tournament, the Melbourne Open in, Australia on 21 January.
World number eight Montjane and partner British Louise Hunt put in a solid performance that helped them beat Chinese duo Hui Min Huang and Zhenzhen Zhu in straight sets 6–4; 6–2.
This is Motjane’s second title in 2016.
Montjane caused the first major upset of the tournament when she dispatched world number two Yui Kamiji in the singles’ quarterfinal and reached the finals without dropping a set. Montjane came up short in the singles’ final when third seed Buis of the Netherlands defeated the 29-year-old in straight sets 6–3; 6–3 to claim the title.
“It has been a great few weeks for me in Australia. To win the super series doubles’ title was a great achievement. Then to back it up and win the Melbourne Open is just great. I feel like I am really playing a solid game,” said Montjane.
She added that this is more of a confidence booster and achieving good results before such a big tournament is very important.
“I feel prepared for the Australian Open Grand Slam,” added Montjane.
In the quads’ division, South Africa’s world number three Lucas Sithole produced a virtuoso display of attacking tennis but lost to his nemesis fourth seed, Andy Lapthorne of Britain. Lapthorne ended Sithole’s hope in a three-setter 7–5; 0–6 7–5 to claim the singles’ title in Melbourne.
Sithole and doubles’ partner Heath Davidson unfortunately lost to Andy Lapthorne and Antony Cotterill in the final.
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