Border’s young stars to take on country’s best

TWO Tennis South Africa (TSA) Schools’ InterProvincial tournaments take place during the school holidays in Pretoria and Bloemfontein.

David Jacquire, organiser of the High Schools’ tournament in Pretoria, is expecting teams of players from all over the country, and also from Zimbabwe.

“This is by far the biggest team competition for players in the U15 and U19 age groups in the country. The big carrot is that SA Schools’ teams in three age groups will be selected to tour Scotland and England in June. The highlight of this tour is our visit to Wimbledon,” he said.

The Border teams will be accompanied by Grant Grotjohn and Sonja Coetzee.

Clarendon has eight of the 12 high school girls in their team in Joanna Nel, Astrid Taylor, Tadi Mrewa, Sonnika Coetzee, Mbali Mahlangeni (U19); and Moya Eybers, Ashleigh Judd, Lauren du Preez (U15), while Merrifield has five players in Josh King and Clare van der Walt (U19) and Dylan Puchert, Jadon Moerdyk and Samuel Townes (U15).

Other members of the U19 side are Lutho Kempele and Othembela Menzelwa (Dale), Ryan Boy and Antonio de Sousa (SC), Juan du Randt (Hangklip). Ryan Little (SC), Aphiwe Rilityana (GR) and two Kingsridge girls, Kwandi Takane and Khanya Desi, complete the U15 side.

Noel Adams, organiser of the Primary schools’ division, said: “It is a team competition that is played over four days. The first round is a roundrobin where teams will be ranked and play in groups. The second round is a knockout system where winners play forward and losers play the back draw.”

The U13 team of Sam McQuirk, Jethro Newton, Nicos Efstratiou (St), Teagan Bok (Sel), Sane Mbane (Cam), Siphe Kempele (D), Sisipho Ndlabhu, Anita Giba (GR), Rebekah Ciganek, Dana Phillips (Cl), Klara Eybers, Emma Marx (HP) travel to Bloemfontein accompanied by David Kempele and Dena Phillips. Ndlabhu and Ciganek are the only two players in this team who also participated in the same tournament in 2012.

Last year Border boasted four players selected for the SA Schools’ teams: Siphos Montsi, Ryan Little, Carmen du Randt and Dylan Puchert.

McDonald’s has generously sponsored the Border teams with long sleeve T-shirts, caps and hand towels for the tour.