Pat Walkden-Pretorius, a beloved member of the Lowveld community, passed away at the age of 79 on Saturday, September 6. She lived in the Macadamia Retirement Village for the last eight years. She was a well-known professional tennis player and had an impressive sporting career.

Pretorius was born in Rhodesia on February 12, 1946, and moved to South Africa in the 1960s. She reached the fourth round in the 1967 and 1968 French Open singles, and at Wimbledon in 1969. She was a women’s doubles finalist at the 1967 French Championships and advanced to the semi-finals in mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 1972.

ALSO READ: Pensioner slips and falls at botanical garden waterfall

She played in 15 Federation Cup ties for Rhodesia and South Africa between 1966 and 1974, boasting 17 match wins. Her crowning achievement came in 1972, when she helped lead South Africa to victory in the Federation Cup final at Ellis Park.

Pretorius also competed in the Sugar Circuit titles in 1967 to 1968. She defeated top international players like Carole Graebner and teamed with Annette van Zyl to win doubles.

ALSO READ: Beloved Mona passes away at age of 101

After she retired, Pretorius coached tennis and started playing golf. She was a member of the long-standing Wanderers Golf Club in Illovo. There she became a single figure handicap and played league for the club for many years. She won the club championships several times and represented not only the club but Transvaal (now Gauteng) as well.

ALSO READ: Nelsville resident celebrates a century

When she moved to Nelspruit in 2017, she joined Matumi Golf Club, where she continued to play as a representative of the club. Her friend, Sue Prior, shared a memory of her. “She was always up for a party, and she usually started it off by saying, ‘Come on, Shirl, give it a whirl.’”

Pat is survived by her two sisters Sally Calitz and Poonie O’Keefe. Her friends and family will celebrate her life at the Matumi Golf Club on October 3.