Nike Junior Tour Players Selected

A select group of South Africa’s top junior tennis players will take to the courts of Potchefstroom from Wednesday to try and book their places at this year’s Nike Junior Tour (NJT) International Masters at Club Med Sandpiper on the Florida coast in the US, from 5 to 12 December, comprising players from 41 countries.

The NJT SA Masters will be played at the Riaan Venter Tennis Academy on the NWU-PUKKE campus at the North West University from Wednesday to Friday. Only eight girls in each of the under-12 and under-14 age groups qualify for this year’s event, and the winners will earn the right to represent South Africa in the USA.

The girl’s under-14 event appears fairly open, with only Zani Barnard to have represented SA at the International Masters, in Club Med Sandpiper Bay last year. Barnard and Wilanie van Zyl ( EP) head up the two groups for the local Masters, but they face tough competition from Zani’s twin sister Lee and local hopeful Jone Kruger of North West Province. Lee Barnard was a straight-set winner over Zani in the girls under 14 National Championships final.

National number 1, Zoe Kruger of Gauteng North is favourite in the girl’s under-12. She has yet to be beaten by any of her opponents and she will not be easy to stop. Her biggest challenge will come from Kaylin Bouwer of Port Elizabeth.

“We at Tennis South Africa (TSA) have always regarded the Nike Junior Tour as an excellent breeding ground for young talent,’’ said TSA CEO Ian Smith. “It also affords our top youngsters the opportunity to travel overseas, and experience playing against some of the best juniors in the world.’’

Tennis South Africa also confirmed the two wild cards per age group who will join the six players in each age group.

The tournament will be played on a round robin format in each groups on Wednesday and Thursday with the winners and runners up of each group round robin qualifying for Fridays cross over semi-final. The final will be played on Friday afternoon.