Clubs readying for national champs

EASTERN Province tennis clubs are gearing up with their counterparts from around the country to take part in the inaugural national club championship, starting this month.

Thanks to a sponsorship from Growthpoint Properties, tennis at grassroots level has received a major boost with this initiative, running this month and next month.

Named the Growthpoint Top Guns tournament, it will see regional events played in the country’s 14 tennis regions, the winners qualifying for the national finals at a central venue in February.

The tournament will have a doubles team format, two men and two women making up a team.

They will play men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

More than R200 000 in prize money will be up for grabs.

Entry will be free for registered clubs in good standing with their respective provinces and with Tennis SA.

In a boost for tennis transformation, two clubs from under-served communities will have wildcards into the tournament’s national final.

Tennis SA chief executive Richard Glover hailed the new event, as well as Growthpoint’s support for club tennis.

“Growthpoint are proving to be a fantastic supporter of our sport,” he said.

“The new event will provide a welcome shot in the arm for club tennis and will also see a number of rule innovations to make matches short, sharp and exciting.”

Rule changes include a free player substitution during the mixed doubles, a no-let rule if the serve hits the net and falls into the correct service block, and a no-advantage rule.

This means that when the score reaches deuce, a deciding point is played.

Growthpoint marketing head Nadine Kuzmanich said: “We are delighted to help make this new national event possible by investing in the foundation of clubs and competition.

“This event is designed to connect with worthy talent in towns and cities across the South Africa, which gives the Growthpoint brand wide exposure.

“We are thrilled to be helping grow competition at grassroots level and have positive influence in our communities.”

In July, Growthpoint Properties was unveiled as headline sponsor of Tennis SA, focusing on three key aspects of the sport – junior tennis, tennis development and club tennis.