South African Schools Tennis Team off to England

Tour Group
From left to right, Front Row: Sophie Mcdonald, Lienke De Kock, Hubert Badenhorst, Mrs. Jenny Koster (manageres), Mr. David Jaquire (manager) , Mrs. Jill Meyer (manageres), Wilanie Van Zyl, Thembokwakhe Makhanya Middle Row: Aletta Macheli, Ester De Kock, Juan-Louis Van Antwerpen, Lungile Ntuli, Cara O’ Flaherty, Wikus Robbertse, Neo Mafuyeka, Daniel De Villiers, Sandil Bhikha, Hannah Siobhan Plageman
Back Row: Janré Viljoen, Khanya Ramokgopa, Ryan Little, Charles Morkel, James Weatherhead, Hugh Morgan, Chao-Hong Peng

Johannesburg, South Africa – On the eve of the Wimbledon Championships, the South African Schools tennis team were awarded with their blazers and colours by the chairman of South African Schools Tennis, David Jaquire. The award ceremony was held at a hotel close to O.R Tambo International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The team of twenty two junior tennis players is off to the United Kingdom for an invitational tour that will see them take part in two ties against some of the top junior tennis players in the world. The first tie will be against the Academy of Glastonbury (put in date) followed by a tie against The Sutton Academy (put in date).

The tour for the team was planned just before the beginning of Wimbledon giving the juniors an opportunity to attend the Championships on the first two days.

From left to right, back row; Khanya Ramokgopa, James Weatherhead, Hugh Morgan and Chao-Hong Peng. Front row; Juan-Louis Van Antwerpen, Cara O' Flaherty, Neo Mafuyeka and Sandil Bhikha.
From left to right, back row; Khanya Ramokgopa, James Weatherhead, Hugh Morgan and Chao-Hong Peng.
Front row; Juan-Louis Van Antwerpen, Cara O’ Flaherty, Neo Mafuyeka and Sandil Bhikha.

President of Tennis South Africa and acting CEO Gavin Crookes congratulated the players on being selected for the team.

“Representing your country is an honour. I urge each one of you to be exemplary ambassadors for our magnificent country. I know we can count on you to be responsible, accountable and at all times to show the sportsmanship that South African’s are renowned for. Be humble in success and be exemplary role models for all that you play against and meet.

I wish each one of you and the team a successful tour knowing that you will do your best on and off the court. My thanks to David Jacquire and his team of helpers who’s hard work and efforts make this tour happen.

Crookes ended by wishing the team all the best and encouraged them to “play fair”.

The team selected is as follows;

 

Boys

Hubert Badenhorst (GN)

Sandil Bhika (GN)

Ryan Little (Bor)

Thembokwakhe Makhanya (KZN)

Hugh Morgan (GC)

Charles Morkel (WP)

Chao-Hong Peng (GC)

Khanya Ramokgopa (GN)

Wikus Robbertse (Bol)

Juan-Louis Van Antwerpen (GC)

Janre Viljoen (EP)

James Weatherhead (GN)

 

Coach David Jaquire (GN)

 

Girls

Ester De Kock (GC)

Lienke De kock (GN)

Aletta Macheli (FS)

Neo Mafuyeka (GC)

Sophie McDonald (KZN)

Lungile Ntuli (WP)

Cara O’Flaherty (GN)

Hanna Plageman (KZN)

Daniel De Villiers (FS)

Wilanie Van Zyl (WP)

 

Coach Jill Meyer (KZN)