Sudden loss for quad tennis
Ever jovial Neo will be sorely missed
South African quad wheelchair tennis player, Neo Kgwedi, has passed away at the age of 20 after a short illness.
“I can’t believe Neo is gone so soon. I knew he had a lot to offer and we were still expecting a lot from him. His smile was wonderful, it lives forever young,” said Neo’s mother Zodwa Kgwedi.
Kgwedi, who hails from Burgersfort, Limpopo, took up wheelchair tennis in 2014, played in the Johan Cruyff Foundation Africa Junior Camp at Ellis Park Tennis Stadium in 2015. His first major tournament was the Airports Company SA Bloem Open, an International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures tournament staged in Bloemfontein in 2015 where he lost in the round of 16.
His biggest achievement was reaching the singles quarterfinal round and doubles semifinal in the Joburg Open, an ITF level 3 tournament at Ellis Park in 2015.
Wheelchair Tennis SA (WTSA) general manager, Karen Losch, said: “Neo was such a happy person, always making jokes during tournaments. He was an inspiration both on and off court to anyone who had the opportunity to know him. His star will always shine brightly in the history of WTSA.
“Our condolences and our thoughts are with his family.
“May he rest in peace and remain in our memories forever,” added Losch.
Kgwedi will be laid to rest on Saturday morning at his home at Leboeng village, northeast of Burgerfort town.