Gauteng East Centre serves up faultless tennis tourney
The Wilson R100 000 Challenge was held at the Gauteng East Tennis Centre, in Lakefield, from Wednesday, April 27, to Monday, May 2.
Some of the country’s top tennis players graced the courts of the centre over the course of the six-day tournament.
It was the first time that the tournament has come to Benoni, moving from its former home at the German Country Club.
The event featured open men’s and women’s singles and doubles matches, as well as boys’ and girls’ u-14 challenges.
It was the experienced Benjamin Janse van Rensburg who would take honours in the open men’s singles final, on Monday, against Lloyd Segal.
Van Rensburg fought hard to claim the victory with 7-5, 7-6.
Ilze Hattingh, who has represented the South African Fed Cup Team, earned the plaudits in the women’s open final, against Lee Barnard, in two straight sets.
She won 6-4, 6-3 in an entertaining final match.
The runner-up teamed up with her twin sister, Zani, on Sunday, to win the women’s doubles event (6-1, 6-0) over Dianie Myburgh and Tamsin Hart, while George Botha and Nikolai Manchev bounced back from losing their first set against Cameron Petersen and Lloyd Segal, in the men’s doubles event (0-6, 6-3, 10-8).
Gabriella Broadfoot defeated Anique Engelbrecht in two sets (6-3, 7-6) to claim the girls’ u-14 honours, while Dylan Salton also won in three sets (6-1, 6-4) against Albert Kirsten, in the boys’ u-14 final.
