ITF $25,000 World Tennis Tour
Rising South African tennis stars, Kholo Montsi and Alec Beckley have both reached their maiden ITF $25,000 World Tennis Tour quarterfinal round at the SA Spring Open on Thursday.
South African teen sensation Montsi defeated Markos Kalovelonis of Greece 6-1, 6-3 to secure his spot in the last eight stage.
“It means a lot to me to be in my first $25K feature event quarterfinals, especially back home in South Africa,” said Montsi.
“Now I just have to recover. I have to study my opponent and go through my patterns, things that I have to do with my coach, and just prepare myself as much as possible.
Montsi will next face last week’s Jozi Open champion Alastair Gray of Britain for a place in the semi-final round.
Alec Beckley continued his impressive run with victory over Menelaos Efstashiou. Beckley, who stunned the top seed on Wednesday, defeated the Cypriot 7-6(5), 6-4 to advance.
The 20-year-old will go up against Brazilian sixth-seed Mateus Alves in the quarterfinal round.
Wheelchair Tennis
All seeded players in the women and men’s events all advanced to the semi-finals of the SA Spring Open wheelchair tennis tournament at Ellis Park Tennis Courts on Thursday.
In the women’s event, South Africa’s leading player and defending champion Kgothatso Montjane breezed past compatriot Mabel Mankgele 6-1, 6-0.
Dutch top seed Jiske Griffieon dispatched Nokwanda Hlongwane 6-0, 6-0.
Tournament third-seed Mariska Venter also advanced to the last four, needing only an hour to get past Nosipho Hlatswayo 6-1, 6-1. Venter will face Wimbledon finalist Montjane in the semi-finals on Friday.
In the men’s event, Spanish top seed Martin de la Puente, second seed Daniel Caverzaschi also from Spain, third seed Evans Maripa and Leon Els, all safely advanced into the semi-final round.
Top-seeded De la Puente will be in action on Friday against Els, while the country’s leading player Maripa will face Caverzaschi for a place in the final.
Results
Singles
Second Round
Men
2-Benjamin Lock (ZIM) bt Kelsey Stevenson (CAN) 6-1, 6-4
4-Michail Pervolarakis (GRE) bt Jeremy Beale (AUS) 6-2, 3-0 (Beale retired)
5-Rio Noguchi (JPN) bt Vaughn Hunter (RSA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
6-Mateus Alves (BRA) bt Daniel Cukierman (ISR) 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (6)
Khololwam Montsi (RSA) bt Markos Kalovelonis (GRE) 6-1, 6-3
Kyle Seeling (USA) bt 8-Igor Ribeiro Marcondes ((BRA) 6-1, 7-6(5), 6-1
Alastair Gray (GBR) bt Sebastian Prechtel (GER) 6-3, 6-0
WC-Alec Beckley (RSA) bt Menelaos Efstathiou (CYP) 7-6 (5), 6-4
Women
2-Tessah Andrianjafitrimo (FRA) bt Zoe Kruger (RSA) 7-5, 7-5
4-Richel Hogenkamp (NED) bt Shiho Akita (JPN) 6-1, 6-3
8-Joanne Zuger (SUI) bt Eva Lys (GER) Walkover
Alina Charaeva (RUS) bt Chanel Simmonds (RSA)2-6 (Simmonds retired)
Valeria Bhunu (ZIM) bt Suzan Lamens (NED) 6-3, 6-1
Elizabeth Mandlik (USA) bt Eva Vedder (NED) 7-6(7),
Jacqueline Cabaj Awad (SWE) bt Amina Anshiba (RUS) 6-2, 7-6 (3)
Matilda Mutavdzic (GBR) bt Jenny Duerst (SUI) 6-2 7-6 (5)
Wheelchair Tennis
Men
Second Round
1-Martin de la Puente (ESP) bt Mpho Mhlongo (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
2-Daniel Caverzaschi (ESP) bt Mayenzeke Gwija (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
3-Evans Maripa (RSA) bt Khanya Xundu (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
4-Leon Els (RSA) bt Celimpilo Kunene (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
5-Alwande Sikhosana (RSA) bt Joseph Manzini (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
Mzwanele Thenstsi (RSA) bt Brilliant Mabaso (RSA) 6-1, 6-0
Mgambi Aviwe (RSA) bt Zenani Mncedi (RSA) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4
Ishmael Tshipuke (RSA) bt Piet Moloi (RSA) 6-3, 6-3
Quarterfinal Round
1-Martin de la Puente (ESP) bt 5-Alwande Sikhosana (RSA) 6-4, 7-5
2-Daniel Caverzaschi (ESP) bt Ishmael Tshipuke (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
3-Evans Maripa (RSA) bt Mzwanele Thenstsi (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
4-Leon Els (RSA) bt Mgambi Aviwe (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
Women
Quarterfinal Round
1-Kgotahtso Montjane (RSA) bt Mabel Mankgele (RSA) 6-1, 6-0
2-Jiske Griffieon (NED) bt Nokwanda Hlongwane (RSA) 6-0, 6-0
3-Mariska Venter (RSA) bt Nosipho Hlatswayo (RSA) 6-1, 6-1
Ntsuku Ndlovu (RSA) bt Emihle Mbotho (RSA) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2