Montjane to fly SA flag Down Under
Tennis ace joins other top names
the first prize is R10 000, a trophy, medals and a brandnew kit. “We will also have individual awards,” he said.
The annual Zama-Zama Sports Challenge tourney starts on Saturday and finishes on December 31 at Homu B grounds in Giyani.
The PSL referee founder and sponsor of the event, says 32 teams will battle it out for the championship.
Champions will take home R30 000, a soccer kit, a floating trophy and gold medals. Individual awards will be presented. The registration fee is R900. South African world No 7 women’s wheelchair tennis ace Kgothatso Montjane has qualified for her fourth Australian Open and ninth Grand Slam tournament. She joins top names at the first major on the 2018 UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour to be held from January 24-27 at Melbourne Park, Australia.
The 31-year-old Montjane made history in 2013 when she became the first African player to compete in the invitationonly women’s draw of the Australian Open championships, where she lost to Aniek van Koot from the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
She reached the quarterfinal round again in both 2014 and last year, losing to current world No 3 Sabine Ellerbrock from Germany and world No 5 Koot, respectively.
The Limpopo-born star, who is considered a role model for able-bodied and disabled South Africans alike, will be heading Down Under booming with confidence after a successful year.
“It’s been a tough journey, starting the season as world No 10 and getting back to the top eight. The top eight ranking is the only one that can award you an opportunity to play tournaments like a Grand Slam, so I am grateful to have made it. This serves as motivation for me to keep improving so that I can play more Grand Slam tournaments,” she said.
The top-seven ranked players on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Rankings at the ranking cut-off date, plus one wildcard, make up the eight players for the men’s and women’s events.
The top-three ranked players at the ranking cut-off date, plus one wild card, make up the four players for the quad event.