Curro Holdings to host ITF tennis tournaments in Stellenbosch
Curro Holdings, in partnership with Tennis South Africa (TSA), will be hosting two International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments, featuring both men and women, at the Van der Stel Tennis Club in Stellenbosch from 1-15 December.
Building on the success of the Curro Centre Court Series that took place in Hillcrest during June and July, the forthcoming tournaments will provide an opportunity for some of the world’s most promising players to enhance their rankings
Both the men’s and women’s competitions are W15 events. Each category has $15 000 prize money, which makes it an overall pool of $60 000 for the two tournaments.
Players who are anticipated to participate include Leo Borg, the son of the Swedish legend, Bjorn Borg, along with South African Davis Cup team members Alec Beckley, Leo Matthysen, and Phillip Henning. Top local juniors including Connor Doig, Isabella Kruger, and Jahnie van Zyl, are set to take part in the event, too.
“There is a healthy number of South African men and women playing in these tournaments, many based overseas, who relish the opportunity to return home and compete against world-class competition,” Cindy van der Merwe, the Portfolio Manager at Curro Sport, said in a statement. “And these tournaments, once again, highlight Curro’s dedication and commitment in providing the platform and opportunity for quality tennis to be played and enjoyed right here in South Africa.”
The South African challenge will be robust, led by the Davis Cup trio of Beckley, Matthysen, and Henning, the Grey College old boy, who triumphed in the first week of the series held in Hillcrest. The presence of Leo Borg, the son of Bjorn, who won Wimbledon five times in succession, from 1976 to 1980, will interest lovers of the game.
Connor Doig, aged 16, who left Westville Boys’ High at the end of 2023 to take up home-schooling and give his all to tennis, is currently ranked 132nd in the ITF Junior World Rankings. He won the first of the ITF junior events at Curro Hillcrest in September and will be eager to make a strong impact again.
Kris van Wyk a losing finalist in week three at the Curro Centre Court Series in Hillcrest, will want to improve on that performance and will have his sights set on a winner’s cheque.
In the women’s competition, South Africa’s aspirations will rest on the shoulders of Isabella Kruger and the talented 15-year-old Jahnie van Zyl.
Kruger, the daughter of the Springbok rugby icon Ruben Kruger, experienced mixed fortunes at Curro Hillcrest. She secured the women’s title in the second week but suffered earlier exits in the other two weeks.
Van Zyl, known for her tenacity and determination, captured the hearts of the crowd in Hillcrest. She didn’t make a final, but she made significant progress, which included a win over Kruger in the first week.
She is a young athlete to keep an eye on, having already excelled in various international competitions, which led to her being selected for the esteemed Grand Slam Player Development Programme in 2023.
“This is a rare opportunity for people to experience international tennis in South Africa,” Van der Merwe said. “The standard is exceptionally high and those who take the time to come and soak up the action will be richly rewarded.”
