Game, set and match for Maxine
She has been playing tennis since she was six years old and still enjoys fighting for each match and the amazing feeling of winning a tough one
Maxine Bateman was born in Durban and has lived in Ballito for the last nine years. She is currently a matric student at St Johns DSG in Pietermaritzburg.
Her impressive resumé on court includes having won seven Super 7 tournaments in SA, making the KZN team every year since 2011, the SA schools team in 2014, 2015 and 2017 and playing for South Africa in Botswana in 2015, and in Tunisia in 2016.
Bateman’s skill with racquet in hand has even landed her a full scholarship for tennis at Stetson University in America in 2018.
Of course, all this success does not come without plenty of hard work. Bateman trains on court at least two hours a day and does cardio fitness on court and in the gym. She also does strength and conditioning to get physically strong for tennis.
She told the Courier her toughest match to date was against Minette Van Vreeden. “I played a match against Minette and it was the longest match I have ever played, I managed to win 7-6, 6-7, 7-6. The match took four hours and I was physically nowhere afterwards,” Bateman remembers.
“The next day when I played my semi-final I could hardly move my body, I was so physically drained.”
Her budding career on the tennis court has not come without cost.
“My worst injury was in 2014 when I was playing the junior SA masters and I tore my stomach muscles. I could not play tennis for six months.” Bateman’s hero in the world of tennis is Swiss tennis superstar Roger Federer.
“I have always looked up to him. He has inspired me to believe in myself and strive for my goals, I love his humility and sportsmanship. He has taught be how to be a modest tennis player.”
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