POLOKWANE – His silverware cabinet boasts the men’s singles trophy after the 20-year-old beat Francois van Wyk from Gauteng 6-1, 4-6 and 6-4.
LJ describes the match as one of his longest and toughest compared to other matches in his tennis career.
“I would usually finish most of my matches within two sets but that match was long and tough. Francois is a tough opponent and he gave me a good run for my money. I am happy to have won the trophy.”
LJ is currently based in Potchefstroom where he refines his tennis skills under the watchful eye of the Riaan Venter Tennis Academy.
He says his move from Polokwane to Potchefstroom is aiding his ambition of becoming a professional tennis player.
“My goal is to turn professional and I think the academy will help me to achieve that goal. The standard is very high there, and there are many top players. It is important in one’s journey to practise against top players in order to stay sharp and competitive.”
He adds that his dream is to one day participate in the ITF Futures, which are organised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
For the ITF, players are accepted first by ATP or WTA ranking, secondly by ITF World tennis ranking, then by Top 500 national ranking and finally – randomly for unranked players.
It is also incorporated into ATP ranking to enable young professionals to progress on to the ATP Challenger Tour and ultimately the full ATP Tour.
“This is the tournament that will help me to get more points and improve my ranking. For me to turn professional, I need more points. I am hoping to get a sponsorship to travel to Egypt and Tunisia and play these tournaments soon,” he concluded.
