Mbombela turned up the heat, as if on cue, for the interprovincial visitors playing the 2024 edition of the Mpumalanga Grand Prix from August 8 to 11.

In the youngest age group, the U12s, the girls’ final was one for the history books. Local star Murunwa Nemavhidi played a marathon three-hour, 45-minute match against Limpopo rival Liah Lucila Rodriguez, with the Polokwane player prevailing 5-7, 7-5 and 6-3. The two finalists teamed up for doubles and beat number two seeds Keotshepile Moorosi and Kamano Motswenyane from Gauteng North in the final.

On the boys’ side, Gauteng Central brothers Cole and Zachary Joyce faced off in the final, with Cole winning 5-7, 6-2 and 6-3. The Joyce brothers then teamed up and emerged victorious in the doubles event, defeating number one seeds Judah Brasg and Takuto Kasahara 6-4, 3-6 and 10-6.

Limpopo’s Morakane Molaoa won the U14 girls’ singles, defeating Gauteng Central’s Nina Pieterse 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) in the final.

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The doubles champions were North West’s Elmien Geertsema and Tiana van Niekerk, who defeated number one seeds Paballo Chuene and Morakane from Limpopo for the title, 3-6, 6-1 and 12-10.

In the boys’ singles, Gauteng North’s Frederik Rheeder defeated North West’s number one seed, Juvan van Pletzen, in the final with a score line of 6-2, 6-1. The two finalists then teamed up for the doubles title, defeating number two Gauteng Central seeds Zian Grobler and Vladimir Ignjatov in the final, 6-2, 0-6 and 10-3.

In the boys’ U16 singles event, the final was a Gauteng Central derby, with number one seed Cameron Corbett defeating number two seed Declan Halsey 4-6, 6-0 and 6-1.

In the doubles event, local player Mias Bezuidenhout teamed up with Cameron to defeat number one seeds Declan and Gregg Rubbers 6-2, 6-2.

Local champion Chané Steyn won the girls’ U18 event, defeating Gauteng North’s Mogomotsi Sekgobela 6-0, 6-0 in the singles final.

The doubles victors were the Lowveld team of Chané and Milan van Heerden, who defeated Gabriella Steytler and Lowvelder Simoné Swart 6-1, 6-2 in the final.

Number one seed Jason Harris from Gauteng East defeated doubles partner Ayrton Vermaak 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the men’s singles final. Ayrton and Jason then defeated Gauteng North’s Eric Matjiane and Tshepang Tlhatlha to clinch the doubles title by
winning the final 7-6, 6-2.

The next TSA tournament in the Lowveld is the DPC Suzuki Lowveld Slam in Mbombela from September 13 to 15.