Renowned tennis commentator applauds creation of new Curro Centre Court series

ROBBIE Koenig, the world’s most acclaimed tennis commentator (and formerly a professional player himself), has applauded the creation of a new local tennis tournament that forms part of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour.

Hosted by Curro Holdings, in partnership with Tennis South Africa, the Curro Centre Court Series will take place at Curro Hillcrest Christian Academy in KwaZulu-Natal. The series will consist of three women’s and three men’s tournaments, run over three weeks between June and July. These events will offer an opportunity for rising local tennis stars to face off against international professional players with attractive prize pots on offer. The events promise to be some of the hottest highlights in the South African tennis calendar.

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Koenig, who achieved a Singles ranking of World No 262 and won five Doubles titles, reaching the semi-finals of the 1998 US Open Men’s Doubles competition, says the series will offer a valuable yardstick for local players to measure themselves against international competitors.

“Exposing aspiring players to international competition helps them to understand the level that is required if you want to pursue a tennis career,” he says. “You may be good in South African terms, but in global terms, you may find you have a lot you need to work on. Tennis is also an expensive sport, so having a tournament like this in your backyard is invaluable as it drastically reduces travel costs.”

Koenig’s son, Luc Koenig, also a promising rising star who has competed in professional events over the last two years, will be taking part in the upcoming tournaments, along with the likes of the country’s top women’s player, Isabella Kruger, and Devin Badenhorst, Alec Beckley and Davis Cup player Philip Henning.

International players are attending from Canada, Australia, the USA, Great Britain, Bulgaria, Zimbabwe, Italy and Japan. It will be the first time since 2021 that professional men’s international tournaments will be held in South Africa.

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“Curro is a trailblazer in school tennis and has taken it to a whole different level,” says Koenig. “Beyond that, they’ve become such a strong force in the tennis community, not only in terms of participation, which, of course, is one of the most important things, but also development.”

He adds that South Africa has the conditions to create good sportsmen and sportswomen. “Because of the climate that we have, we’re blessed with good weather all year round. We can play outdoor tennis pretty much all year round. You know, that’s a huge advantage. For people who are investing in tennis, the breeding ground for success is good. It’s an expensive sport, so we need sponsors for the development of our young players. The more of these events we can have, the better it’s going to be for the next generation.”

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Koenig encourages tennis lovers to come support and watch the Curro Centre Court Series tournaments. “You will not believe the level until you see with your own eyes how good these guys and girls are. I know because I’m around the very best players! And I know from my playing days how much better the players have become. The level is so deep these days. So come out and watch – it’ll blow your mind, and it’s right on your back doorstep.”

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