Tshwane Tennis Development Initiative boosted at Tuks Open
Details about the Tshwane Tennis Development Initiative was introduced to special guests and representatives of sponsors last week at the Tuks Open.
While the top candidates in the Tuks Open tennis tournament were battling it out in the final rounds last week, sponsors could see the talent produced by the Tshwane Tennis Development Initiative in action at the same venue.
Thanks to generous sponsors like Armscor and Dunlop, the Tuks Open has attracted players of a very high standard this year, and organisers were also able to present a popular mix doubles mini tournament during the Tuks Open.
By winning the men’s singles title, well-known South African Davis Cup star, Tucker Vorster, was able to tick off an important item on his bucket list near the end of his competitive tennis career.
Vorster told Rekord before the tournament that he always wanted to win the Tuks Open, because he had started his career at the club years ago.
Vorster beat Gerhard Swart in the men’s singles final, and extended his success to the men’s doubles when he and his partner, Jannik Gevers, beat Thando Ncube and Liam Day in the final. Lara van der Merwe was crowned the women’s singles champion after she beat Ntokozo Zungu in the final.
Shannon Cox and Michelle Ncube beat Helga Jeske and Michelle Rademan in the women’s doubles final. Last Saturday, while the tournament was going on, the sponsors, members of the executive boards of Tennis Gauteng North and Tennis SA could meet some of the future tennis stars part of the Gauteng North tennis development programme coached by Prince Madema and André de Beer.
Solly Ngwenza, manager of the development programme, told Rekord that the biggest goal for the initiative, in collaboration with the Tshwane Sports Council, Gauteng Sports Department and schools around Pretoria, was to provide opportunities and a development pathway for players and coaches all over the Tshwane region. More than 10 training centres for coaches and players are already in operation at schools and clubs addressing all aspects of player development such as the physical development, coordination, tactical awareness and mental and emotional skills.
The establishment of development leagues for the players to hone their skills is also part of the programme.
However, Ngwenza emphasised the establishment of proper facilities, especially in certain regions, remained the greatest challenge for the programme.
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