Tennis feast this festive season

Tennis fever has hit the country as tennis players from across South Africa prepare themselves for a wave of national ranking tournaments this festive season.

The annual “coastal swing” of tournaments which co-insides with the year-end school holidays begins with the Boland Sportsman’s Warehouse Open held in Boland from 12 to 16 December.

From 17 to 21 December will be the Slazenger Classic presented by Western Province Tennis in the greater City of Cape Town area. This is Western Province’s premier junior event making it one of the most prestigious junior tennis events in the country.

The “coastal swing” will then break as the players head up North in the new year and from 4 to 8 January 2015 the Gauteng North Dunlop Open will take place across Tshwane.

Nelson Mandela Bay will then host the first of the last two events of the “coastal swing” when the Eastern Province Tennis Championships will be played in Port Elizabeth from 10 to 14 January 2015. The last tournament will be the Border Tennis Open in East London from 15 to 19 January 2015.

These tournaments will have singles and doubles events for boys and girls in the age groups 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, 16 and under as well as for men and women in the open age group.

Gavin Crookes, President of Tennis South Africa said that the timing of the tournament was appropriate as it was being played during the peak holiday period.

“It will be great to welcome all the tennis families to the events and let’s hope that the tournaments set the tone for a happy holiday period over this festive season.”