Good-luck to SA wheelchair tennis players!
WESTDENE- Lucas Sithole and Kgothatso Montjane are ready for the US Open 2014 this September.
South African sports stars Lucas Sithole and Kgothatso Montjane are in the USA to compete in the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour’s last Super Series and Grand Slam for 2014.
Sithole ranks second in the world while Montjane ranks eighth.
The two tournaments are taking place back-to-back with the US Open; United States Tennis Association (USTA) Wheelchair Tennis Championships Super Series that was held on 26 to 31 August in St Louis and the prestigious US Open Grand Slam in New York on 4 to7 September.
Westdene’s triple amputee Sithole made history in September 2013 when he won the US Open title to become the first African to win a US Open Grand Slam.
Sithole will be looking to successfully defend his 2013 title and once again wheel away with the glory and honour.
“Mentally, I am ready and I look forward to defending my title successfully. This is my most important tournament for the year and I am pleased I have this week’s event as a warm-up for the US Open Grand Slam. I have prepared well and will give it everything I have,” he said.
Sithole played his last tournament in July – ‘The British Open’ where he unfortunately could not defend his title successfully and lost in the semi-finals.
Second Seeds Kgothatso Montjane and Jordanne Whiley are eager to defend their US Open USTA Championships women’s doubles title. The Dutch top seeded pair Jiske Griffioen and Aniek van Koot are in good form looking to take the glory and title for 2014.
Two of Montjane’s four doubles titles this year were with partner Jordanne Whiley, winning the Cajun Classic and the Pensacola Open women’s doubles titles in March this year. Montjane had a good break with her last tournament, the Belgian Open, where she reached the women’s singles semi-finals.
Montjane is in good form mentally and physically.
“I worked hard the last month and I am eager to play and to win. To play in these tournaments with the world’s best is always an honour,” she said.
Wheelchair Tennis South Africa’s (WTSA) Award winning Coach Holger Losch is happy about these achievements.
“We are proud of Kgothatso and Lucas and their achievements. The long term sponsorship from Airports Company South Africa has given the athletes the ability to grow and compete, and the athletes, having embraced these opportunities, and worked hard. They have started to reap the rewards and recognition they deserve. We would like to encourage all South African Sport fans to get behind these phenomenal athletes,” commented Losch.
