This year around 300 of the most talented players from 32 nations took to court to compete for titles.
The WTC tournament ran from the 3 to 9 May and had SA competing across three divisions: men's, women's and quads. The Rainbow Nation's players performed well, sporting sheer guts and determination in every match. The team's goal was to fight collectively for a better international standing and to qualify for the 2011 WTC. This will be hosted in South Africa for the very first time. This honour was bestowed on SA because of Wheelchair Tennis South Africa's successful run of hosting international events since 2006.
South Africa's successes in Turkey began with the first ball; the country's top-ranked player in the men's division, Sydwell Mathonsi, won three out of four matches for his team. A double amputee, Mathonsi set the scene for his tournament performance in his first match against Ecuador with an easy win, 6-1 6-0. Iran, his second match, was a little tougher with Mathonsi down 2-6 in the first set, but making an impressive comeback in the second set winning 6-1. With split sets the competitors went to a super-break and Mathonsi wrapped it up, winning by six points ending 10-4.
In Mathonsi's third match against New Zealand, two games was all he gave away, taking the match 6-2 6-2. Unfortunately, in his fourth and final match against Switzerland, Mathonsi lost 1-6 3-6. Disappointingly, his convincing run in the tournament came to an abrupt halt when a pre-existing shoulder injury brought his winning streak to a close.
Evans Maripa is dubbed as SA's up-and-coming star and recent winner of Gold at the Asia Pacific Youth Para Games in 2009. The 19-year-old double amputee did the country proud with his two out of four singles wins. Playing Ecuador he had his opponent doing wheel spins when he scored 5-7 6-4 with a super-break of 10-5. His two losses - both marginal - were against Iran 4-6 6-2 with a super-break 6-10; and Switzerland 6-4 6-2.
The women's team was spearheaded by Kgothatso Montjane, SA's golden girl, who recently won the women's title at the SA Open, beating an experienced British competitor. Montjane won three of her four matches in Turkey; her first match against an American opponent saw a tough yet favourable score for the South African who impressively won the first set 6-3, 6-7 narrowly losing the second set 6-7, and finally taking the third 7-5.
In Montjane's second game against Spain she battled against nerves and conceded at 3-6 4-6. In both sets she was 0-3 down to start with and wheeled her way uphill to get to three games all. Montjane's third game, against host country Turkey, saw the local golden girl hitting back in top form and winning 6-0 6-1.
Montjane's fourth and final match against Columbia saw her fighting spirit rise to new heights with an impressive result, 6-3 6-3. Her tournament run was marked by on-court speed and strength and off-court heartiness, and indomitable energy.
Lucas Sithole, the number one quad in SA, and ranked as high as 13 on the world rankings in 2009, played the likes of David Wagner from the USA who is currently number two in the world. Although Sithole did not convert many matches to wins the fact remain that SA's number one quad gave the world's best quads something to take notice of.
The 2011 tournament is often referred to as the Davis Cup of wheelchair tennis and will be held in Gauteng. The benefits are as far as they are wide and include offering SA's underexposed players international game experience. Another is to show off beautiful country and all WTSA's tournaments include a distinctly cultural SA experience.
WTSA is determined to see physically challenged individuals making sporting choices that support the pursuit of happiness and the realisation of a full and meaningful life. Tennis teaches disabled people valuable life skills and all those who are interested should contact Karen Losch on +27(0)83 325 1169 or email: az.oc.sinnet@nerak.
