SA’s Top Tennis Talent Contests Day One at the SA Junior Masters in Pretoria

The 2024 Tennis South Africa Junior Masters Championship kicked off in thrilling fashion at the Hillcrest Sports Campus, University of Pretoria, where young talents from across the country delivered a day of intense competition and standout performances on Friday, 18 October.

In the Girls U12 category, Giana Smith set the tone with an impressive straight-sets win over Carli Erasmus, while Gabriella Coetzee had to fight hard to secure a three-set victory against Wendy Modiba in a back-and-forth encounter. 

Lily Haley also made her mark with a commanding win against Winnie Masemola, followed by another hard-earned triumph against Kamogelo Mponwana. Winnie Masemola bounced back from her earlier defeat to overpower Liah Lucila Leon Rodriguez in straight sets. 

Wendy Modiba pulled off a stunning win against Giana Smith, showing grit and determination in their match.

The Girls U14 division saw fierce competition as Yasmin Lombard could not keep up with Jesse de Villiers’ relentless play, while Charlotte Bouwer cruised through her match, dominating from start to finish. 

Lea Dube and Morakane Molaoa exchanged sets in a captivating contest, but Dube came out on top in a thrilling third set. Molaoa bounced back later in the day to win a tightly contested match, showing resilience.

Meri Sandenbergh was a force to be reckoned with in the Girls U16 category, clinching a straight-sets victory in her opening match, while Allegra van der Walt and Morgan Jordaan displayed consistency and skill to secure wins. Despite a tough start, Alicia Taylor recovered in her second match to notch an impressive win.

In the highly competitive Girls U18 category, Donna le Roux showcased her talent with back-to-back victories, including a tight match against Kelly Coetzee. Ashtyn Cason’s resilience paid off as she battled through a nail-biting clash, earning a memorable win.

The first day of the Junior Masters Championship was packed with excitement and determination as South Africa’s future tennis stars shone on the courts, setting the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable weekend of high-performance tennis action. Some matches will be live-streamed on the SuperSport Schools App.

Day One Girls Results at the 2024 Junior Masters, on Friday, 18 October

Girls U12

Giana Smith vs Carli Erasmus: 6-1, 6-3
Gabriella Coetzee vs Wendy Modiba: 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
Liah Lucila Leon Rodriguez vs Kamogelo Mponwana: 1-6, 2-6
Lily Haley vs Winnie Masemola: 6-0, 6-3
Winnie Masemola vs Liah Lucila Leon Rodriguez: 6-2, 6-4
Wendy Modiba vs Giana Smith: 7-6, 6-1
Lily Haley vs Kamogelo Mponwana: 7-5, 6-3
Gabriella Coetzee vs Carli Erasmus 6-1, 6-1

Girls U14

Yasmin Lombard vs Jesse de Villiers: 1-6, 3-6
Megan van Vuuren vs Charlotte Bouwer: 5-7, 6-3, 0-6
Nikilitha Ndungane vs Lyndsey Philipps: 2-6, 6-3, 3-6
Lea Dube vs Morakane Molaoa: 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
Lea Dube vs Lyndsey Philipps: 7-5, 6-7, 5-7
Morakane Molaoa vs Nikilitha Ndungane: 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Megan van Vuuren vs Jesse de Villiers: 6-3, 6-3
Charlotte Bouwer vs Yasmin Lombard: 6-1, 6-0

Girls U16

Lonwabo Majeke vs Meri Sandenbergh: 0-6, 3-6
Sophia Koen vs Ciaran McConnell: 3-6, 1-6
Alicia Taylor vs Allegra van der Walt: 4-6, 0-6
Roxy Bredenkamp vs Morgan Jordaan: 2-6, 0-6
Roxy Bredenkamp vs Meri Sandenberg: 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
Allegra van der Walt vs Sophia Koen: 6-1, 6-4
Morgan Jordaan vs Lonwabo Majeke: 6-2, 7-5
Alicia Taylor vs Ciaran McConnell: 6-1, 6-3

Girls U18

Zahra Ferreira vs Kelly Coetzee: 0-6, 2-6
Jessica Schilz vs Luis Janse van Rensburg: 7-5, 0-6, 3-6
Donna Le Roux vs Ashtyn Cason: 6-2, 6-2
Shazneen Kholvadia vs Grace Koenig: 4-6, 1-6
Donna Le Roux vs Kelly Coetzee: 7-6, 6-3
Ashtyn Cason vs Zahra Ferreira: 7-5, 7-5
Jessica Shilz vs Grace Koenig: 3-6, 5-7
Luise Janse van Rensburg vs Shazneen Kholvadia: 6-2, 6-1

Main Photo Caption: Ciaran McConnell won the earlier of her two ties as the 2024 South African Tennis Junior Masters kicked off with the best of the nation’s scholar tennis players in action at the Hillcrest Sports Campus, University of Pretoria, where young talents from across the country delivered a day of intense competition and standout performances from Friday, 18  to Sunday 20 October, 2024. Photo: Tennis SA / Barco Greef 

Photo 2 Caption: Morakane Molaoa endured twin 3-setters on Day 1, losing to Lea Dube before beating Nikilitha Ndungane in the U14 division. Photo: Tennis SA / Barco Greef 

Photo 3 Caption: Liah Lucila Leon Rodriguez went down to Kamogelo Mponwana and Winnie Masemola in straight sets in the U12 division. Photo: Tennis SA / Barco Greef