Gauteng – The Kia Amateur Tournament taking place at the University of Pretoria from the 26th to the 28th November 2010 will enable two South Africans to participate in the Kia Amateur Australian Open in Melbourne Australia in January 2011. The winner also gets the opportunity to watch the professionals in the 2011 Australian Open. One past winner, Annelie van Heever, is encouraging all amateurs to enter as she reminisces on the fun she had and how it affected her life.
The tournament rules allow past winners to compete again, but Van Heever will not be competing in 2010 as she is an expectant working mother.
Now 30 years of age, she started playing tennis at the age of five with a tennis racket which stood tall above her tiny figure. Annelie played national junior tournaments from under 12 and on completion of her matric year she went to Wichita State University in Kansas, USA on a tennis scholarship. This was an experience which was to pay huge dividends in future.
Van Heever played in the 2006 Kia Amateur Australian open. She and her partner Clive Wilson beat Ronel Louw and Gareth Gibson in the final to get the opportunity to go on to Australia. While neither of them did exceptionally well in Australia, they both admitted that this trip has to date undoubtedly been the highlights of their lives.
“It was an amazing experience, more exciting than I could ever have imagined,” said Van Heever who still plays League tennis for the Belgrave Tennis Club. “The hospitality was first class and I felt so privileged. While we didn’t do well in the singles events Clive and I went as far as playing in the final of the amateur mixed doubles and even had the opportunity to play in Rod Laver Arena, on the same court that the professionals were about to play their final. I was in my element watching Roger Federer play against Fernando Gonzalez in the men's final.”
The Roger Federer fan from the jacaranda city believes that South Africa has a lot of talent to be unearthed and that motor company KIA has made invaluable contributions to promote the sports amongst both amateurs and professional tennis players.
Her advice to aspiring tennis players is: be willing to work hard. Success will not be handed to you on a plate. Make sure you make use of any and all opportunities available to you.
NATIONAL PLAYOFFS:
The national playoff will be held from Friday, 26th November – Sunday, 28th November at the University of Pretoria. The format is a set of mixed doubles followed by mens / ladies singles set and the winning team needs to win two of three sets.
Entry is open to any South African amateur tennis player over the age of 18 who is a member of a club affiliated to SATA. Participants may not at any stage have had a professional singles or doubles ranking appearing on the ATP or WTA ranking lists. Any person who has competed in a previous Kia Amateur Australian Open cannot play again. SA winners must be available to travel to the Australian Open between January 17 and 30, 2011. For full details on requirements enquiries can be directed to: Lisa Wade: lisa@langazela.co.za or 082 904 1805
