Tennis keeps Van Riebeeck Park player in the USA
Express spoke to the SA number one from Van Riebeeck Park about life in the USA, the South African tennis scene, and what the future holds.
Chanel Simmonds (25), it seems, was born to play tennis.At the age of eight, she was already hitting balls against an Avion Tennis Club’s wall where her mom, a Gauteng East player, was practising.
Simmonds’ mom saw the youngster’s potential and took her for proper training.
Simmonds was a natural ace.
Fast-forward five years and the teen from Van Riebeeck Park was number one in South Africa. But being the best locally was not enough for the tennis talent.
“My coach, Earl Grainger, and many other people told me I’m good enough to pursue professional tennis. I was really excited and wanted to dedicate myself 100 per cent,” Simmonds explains.
So, the Grade Nine Shangri-La learner opted for home-schooling to spend more time on the court and to travel to international junior events. Simmonds’ hard work paid off. Soon, she was number 14 in the world junior rankings.
Today, she is the number one woman’s player in South Africa and 284th in the world. In 2013, she held a coveted number 150 spot. With these rankings, she towers above fellow South Africans Zoe Kruger, who is at number 861, and Warona Mdlulwa at 1006.
Becoming the best locally and finding her way on international courts wasn’t a walk in the park for this left-handed player. She traded Kempton Park for a permanent residence in Atlanta, Georgia, where she spends five hours a day on the court.
As she spends most of her time playing in USA tournaments, an American home base made perfect sense. She adds that, unfortunately, tennis is one of the lower profile sports in South Africa and doesn’t attract as much sponsorship. “It falls outside of the group – rugby, soccer and cricket.”
Her new lifestyle is a fast one. When Express spoke to Simmonds earlier this month, she was in Münster, Germany, playing for a German club. July until the end of the year will see her competing in American tournaments. She plays about 30 of these a year and has seen over 40 countries.
“It’s not often that I get to see much of the places but when I do have a day off, I enjoy exploring and learning about other cultures.”
Her main focus, however, is to be the best.
“I would love to play in the main draw of the grand slam events.”
For this to happen, she would have to climb 184 spots. She also hopes to represent South Africa at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Her advice for aspiring young tennis players is: “Nothing replaces hard work. Set out goals for yourself to help you keep focused and stay motivated.”
