The South African Under-12 girls’ tennis team made history at the ITF/CAT African Junior Championships in Gaborone, Botswana this past weekend, by clinching the gold medal for the first time ever. The girls' team, composed of Lily Haley, Gabriella Coetzee, and Winnie Masemola, dominated the competition, winning every match in both singles and doubles without dropping a set.
The event, held from 6th to 13th October 2024, saw the American Express South African under-12 girls' and boys' teams competing fiercely against the best on the continent. The boys' team, featuring Tristan Summers, Nicolaas van der Walt, and Mpho Bowers, put up an impressive performance to reach the finals but came up short, taking second place after a tough 2-1 loss to Ghana.
The girls’ team started their journey with a commanding 3-0 victory over Madagascar, followed by another 3-0 sweep against Benin. Their winning streak continued as they overpowered Uganda with another 3-0 win. The grand finale saw the girls achieving a historic victory by defeating Tunisia 2-0, earning them the prestigious title of African champions.
Team manager and coach Terry Schweitzer expressed her immense pride and joy, stating, “We are absolutely delighted to achieve our goal of winning the African Junior Teams event for the first time ever, especially after coming so close last year. The girls were extremely disciplined and worked very hard in their training and preparation. We are thrilled to win this prestigious event.”
The boys' team also made an impressive run, starting with a 3-0 win over Uganda and another 3-0 victory against Kenya in their second-round match. Despite their strong performance throughout the tournament, the boys finished in second place after a hard-fought final against Ghana.
The participation of the teams in the tournament was made possible by American Express.
GIRLS’ FINAL STANDINGS:
- South Africa
- Tunisia
- Benin
- Cameroon
- Botswana
- Madagascar
- Kenya
- Guinea
- Uganda
BOYS’ FINAL STANDINGS:
- Ghana
- South Africa
- Tunisia
- Cameroon
- Zimbabwe
- Guinea
- Botswana
- Kenya
- Uganda