Members of local tennis club to shine internationally
“We are going over with the hopes of looking for some good tennis.”
Three members of the River Ridge Tennis Club represented South Africa when they competed in an international 60s and over tournament.
The trio, Sally Yatt, Mark Joubert and the captain, Mark Vos, left for Portugal during the first week of August.
They hope to enjoy themselves overseas playing for the passion of the sport rather than for competitiveness.
Unlike Vos and Joubert, it will be Yatt’s (63) first time to represent South Africa on the court.
“It is exciting to represent South Africa at the world championships as we will all play in our respective age groups.”
Developing an interest in bat and ball when she was four years old, and having a father who built tennis courts, slowly drew Yatt into the world of tennis.
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“We had a tennis court at home where Johann Kupferburger, who won the 1951 Wimbledon Boys Singles title, would provide tennis lessons,” said Yatt.
“At the time I didn’t know of his accolades, but at six years old I got free tennis lessons.”
As her skills grew alongside her passion for the sport, Yatt started playing for school teams and entered more tournaments.
Joubert, who will represent South Africa for the third time, said it felt fantastic to represent the country again.
“We are going over hoping to look for some good tennis,” said the 62-year-old.
He said the trio do not specialise playing on clay courts.
“We will show them what South Africans are made of and how we play tennis.”
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Vos, representing South Africa for the second time, said it was an honour.
“We are going to do our absolute best,” he said.
“Although we would love to win, we are not expecting to. We are still going to play with our hearts and do our best,” said the 60-year-old.
Having played tennis from the age of 14 to 24 years old, Joubert said he took a break from the sport for 26 years.
At 50, he got back into the swing of things and picked up the racket after his son started playing.
Explaining the pause, Joubert said commitments to his family, career, and other sports took him away from tennis.
He has been playing tournaments for the last six years.
To commemorate the trio’s success and them leaving for Portugal, they played a round robin at the tennis club on July 29.
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The event saw players face off against one another in club fun.
The social organiser of the club and member of the former Modderfontein Tennis Club, Terry Howell, said it was also an opportunity for fellow club members to say farewell and wish the trio luck.
When Modderfontein Tennis Club Closed last year, its members joined River Ridge Tennis Club.
Howell said since the two clubs merged, things have gone brilliantly.
“It was a good amalgamation; we have taken the culture of two clubs and created a new culture.”
