Montjane and Maripa ready for the three-week challenge is France and Italy

BENONI, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 08: Evans Maripa of South Africa in action against Patrick Selepe (RSA) in the first round of the men's singles during day 1 of the Airports Company South Africa Gauteng Open at the Gauteng East Tennis Complex on April 08, 2015 in Benoni South Africa. (Photo by Reg Caldecott/Gallo Images)
South African wheelchair tennis ace Evans Maripa ranked 15 globally in action at the Airports Company South Africa Gauteng Open in Benoni early this year.

Monday, 14 September 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa. – South African top ranked wheelchair tennis stars Kgothatso Montjane and Evans Maripa arrived in France on Sunday for the Toyota Open International de L’ile de Re, an International Tennis Federation (ITF) level 1 tournament, part of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour 2015 starting from 15 – 20 September 2015 at Ile de Re in France.

World no.8 Montjane, who recently won the Belgium Open women’s doubles title in Jambes, Belgium last month says she is primed to do well in France, “Evans and I have been working hard training ahead of the tournaments and I can confidently say that we will give our best for better results”.

Both Maripa and Montjane will go on to represent the country at the Sardinia Open, also an ITF level 1 event at Alghero in Italy from 22 – 26 September 2015. The 25-year old Maripa will be looking for another win in Italy after he clinched Trofeo Della Mole, an ITF 2 level event men’s doubles title with partner Maikel Scheffers of the Netherlands last month. “I have prepared well mentally and physically, and I hope to have a good tournament. It is never easy to play the best in the world but that’s what help us grow as athletes and I look forward to the challenge and hopefully another title,” said Maripa.

South African no.1 and world no.8 Kgothatso Montjane also known as ‘KG’ in action at the Airports Company South Africa SA Open super series event at Ellis Park in April 2015. Picture credits: Reg Caldecott
South African no.1 and world no.8 Kgothatso Montjane also known as ‘KG’ in action at the Airports Company South Africa SA Open super series event at Ellis Park in April 2015.
Picture credits: Reg Caldecott

The two Limpopo stars will also take part in the Open de la Baie de Somme, ITF 1 event in Rue, France from 30 September – 04 October before they return home. Montjane said she is ready, relaxed and looking forward to the event this year. She reached the quarter-finals in last year’s tournament and hoping to do better this year.

Wheelchair Tennis South Africa General Manager Karen Losch wished the two the best of luck. “We wish our players well on their tour and with all the hard work they put on court during training we hope for good results. Both Evans and KG have well-rested and determined to do well at the upcoming events. They are great talented athletes who love playing the game and take pride in representing the country,” she said.

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