By Anthony Moruthane.
@Picture Café.
Johannesburg, 24 September 2021 – South African wheelchair tennis stars Kgothatso Montjane and Evans Maripa both booked their place in the finals of the SA Spring Open with straight sets victories at Ellis Park Tennis Courts in Johannesburg on Friday.
The defending champion and top seed Montjane continued her remarkable run in the ITF Grade II wheelchair tennis event as she defeated compatriot Mariska Venter 6-0, 6-2 to advance to the women’s final.
The 35-year-old will face Dutch former world No.1 Jiske Griffioen on Saturday for the SA Spring Open title.
“For me, playing against South Africans, it’s a big one because I haven’t lost to any, so it is another match I have to make sure that I seal it up, and I am just happy that I have progressed through this tournament and just happy to be back playing at home,” said Montjane following her match.
“I think the most important thing in this tournament is just for me to take it one match at a time and one point at a time. That’s the strategy because there’s no quicker way to get used to the conditions.”
Maripa, the country’s leading men’s player, looked in superb form as he raced to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Spanish second seed Daniel Caverzaschi in the semi-final round.
“I am excited that I got to the finals here (Ellis Park) today. I was ready for the match, and I am very happy with my performance. I was playing against a top ranked player; Danie (Daniel Caverzoschi) who is one of the best players in the world and I managed to pull that win through today.
Maripa will take on another Spanish in the final, world number 11 Martin de la Puente for the men’s title. The 22-year-old De la Puente defeated Leon Els 6-0, 6-3 to book his spot in the final.
Donald Ramphadi and Danny Mohlamonyane are set to fight for the quad singles title on Saturday. Ramphadi defeated Ronewa Mudzanani 6-1, 6-0, while Mohlamonyane dispatched Nkosenye Nkosi 6-0, 6-0.
In the ITF $25,000 World Tennis Tour event, the country’s teen sensation Kholo Montsi, suffered a 6-2, 6-4 defeat to last week’s Jozi Open champion Alastair Gray.
Alec Beckley’s incredible run also ended in the quarterfinal round at the hands of Brazilian sixth-seed Mateus Alves, losing 6-2, 6-4. Beckley caused a major upset earlier this week eliminating Russian top seed Konstantin Kravchuk.
Defending champion Benjamin Lock was made to work hard for his place in the semi-finals as he progressed with a 7-6(2), 7-5 win over unseeded Kyle Seelig.
The SA Spring Open is made possible by Vision View Sports Radio.
Results:
ITF $25,000 World Tennis Tour
Singles
Quarterfinal Round
Men
2-Benjamin Lock (ZIM) bt Kyle Seelig (USA) 7-6(2), 7-5
4-Michail Pervolarakis (GRE) bt 5-Rio Noguchi (JPN) 6-4, 6-2
6-Mateus Alves (BRA) bt Alec Beckley (RSA) 6-1, 6-4
Alastair Gray (GBR) bt Kholo Montsi (RSA) 6-2, 6-4
Women
2-Tessah Andrianjafitrimo (FRA) bt Matilda Mutavdzic (GBR) 6-3, 6-1
4-Richel Hogenkamp (NED) bt Jacqueline Cabaj Awad (SWE) 6-1, 6-1
Alina Charaeva (RUS) bt 8-Joanne Zuger 7-6 (4), 6-3
Eva Vedder (NED) bt Valeria Bhunu (ZIM) 6-3, 6-2
Wheelchair Tennis
Semi-final Round
Men
1-Martin de la Puente (ESP) bt 4-Leon Els (RSA) 6-0, 6-3
3-Evans Maripa (RSA) bt 2-Daniel Caverzaschi (ESP) 6-2, 6-3
Women
1-Kgothatso Montjane (RSA) bt 3 – Mariska Venter (RSA) 6-0, 6-2
2-Jiske Griffioen (NED) bt Ntsuku Ndlovu (RSA) 6-0, 6-1
Quads
1-Donald Ramphadi (RSA) bt Ronewa Mudzanani (RSA) 6-1, 6-0
2-Danny Muhlamonyane (RSA) bt Nkosanye Nkosi (RSA) 6-0, 6-0.