Yeoville twins aim high in tennis and youth development
Merisabel and Christabel Mthimkhulu, graduates of BSI’s High-Performance Tennis Programme, are mentoring young athletes while chasing their own national tennis dreams.
Twin sisters Merisabel and Christabel Mthimkhulu share not only a passion for tennis but also the ambition to play on big stages.
Their journey began in 2023 when they joined the Balderstone Sports Institute (BSI) tennis development programme.
The twins recall the moment that first introduced them to the sport.
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“It started with coach Mike Nkosi, who saw us roaming around the park with our friends and invited us to try tennis. We knew nothing about the sport or how it would change our lives.”
The Mthimkhulus describe themselves as inseparable. “There was a time when Merisabel tried netball while Christabel stayed with tennis.
“Within a month, Merisabel came back; it might have been the twin bond, or maybe tennis had already engraved itself in her heart.”
After completing their matric, the sisters received the opportunity to study sports management at BSI, from which they graduated in 2024.
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“BSI was like a light at the end of the tunnel for us. We joined their leading tennis programme. During that year, we learnt how the sporting industry is evolving and discovered new opportunities.”
They credit BSI’s High-Performance Training Programme for transforming their game.
“It completely changed our mindset towards tennis. We realised that reaching the level we aspire to takes time and consistency; it won’t all happen overnight.”
Along the way, they trained under renowned coaches Helen Barrett, Conrad Lunderstedt, and Jose da Silva.
“Each coach had a unique style, and learning from them shaped us into the coaches we are today.”
In early 2025, the twins joined JL Tennis Academy as coaches.
“What we like the most about working at JL Tennis Academy is that we see John-Laffnie de Jager a lot. We work with some very amazing coaches with different personalities, and learn a lot from them because they give us the opportunity to be ourselves.”
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Although they do almost everything together, the sisters point out that their contrasting personalities help balance each other. One is more outgoing and playful, while the other is more reserved.
They aim to continue building their coaching careers while exploring opportunities to represent South Africa.
“We dream of travelling with the SA team one day. But for now, our focus is on our roles at JL and gaining more coaching experience.
“We also want to launch outreach programmes in Yeoville, where we grew up. There are many talented players there who need a platform to showcase themselves. It would be wonderful to help uplift them.”
Their message to young athletes is simple but powerful: “Take things one step at a time, that’s our motto, kancane kancane. Life is not a race. Don’t compete with anyone but yourself,” they said.
