Eastern tennis duo to represent SA at world champs
Gauteng East Seniors Tennis has announced that two of their super senior provincial players have not only been selected to represent South Africa, but also to captain their respective teams at the ITF Super-Seniors World Team Championships.
These championships will be held in Umag, Croatia, between September 12 and 17.
Kathy Nevay, of Northmead Tennis Club (Gauteng East), will captain the ladies 75+ team, which also comprises Jackie Zylstra (Kwazulu-Natal), Reiko Murase (Gauteng Central) and Lynnette Thurston (Gauteng North), who will play in the Queens Cup 75 age category.
The trophy, a Rosewater Dish, was first presented by the ITF seniors committee in 2002, in St Kanzian, Austria.
In 2015, the Queens Cup was won by the USA, who successfully defended their title defeating Great Britain in the final.
George Rough, from the Parkrand Tennis Complex (Gauteng East), will captain the men’s 75+ team, with Koos van der Hoff (Gauteng North) and Rusty Clement (Western Province), in the Bitsy Grant Cup, for the men’s 75 age category. The tournament was won by Germany in 2015.
Owen O’Neill, chairman of GE Seniors Tennis, lauded the pair’s achievement in stating: “It is a great honour to have two of our stalwarts selected to fly not only our provincial flag, but our national flag in the international tennis arena.
“Their dedication and sportsmanship can only leave a positive legacy to those who follow, they truly are an inspiration to many.”
Seniors tennis in the province is on the rise, with tournaments and leagues seeing a good increase in participants in the last year.
A great social sport that proves the old saying that tennis is a sport for life. – @SabeloBoksburg
