International tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams ended their visit to South Africa, as part of the Breaking the Mould campaign, in style as they played an exhibition match at a packed Ellis Park Indoor Arena in Johannesburg. Serena won the tie 6-3 6-4 in under two hours.
The boisterous crowd was treated to some quality tennis with South Africa’s number one ranked wheelchair tennis player Kgothatso Montjane, teaming up with number one ranked U16 and U18 player Illse Hattingh playing against men’s 7th ranked wheelchair Tennis player Lucas Sithole and 6th ranked U18 player Lynn Kiro in the curtain raiser.
Paralympian Montjane says the Williams sisters’ visit to the country will inspire lots of budding players, both able bodied and disabled. “They are the only top Africans tennis players and I have always looked up to them. We as Africans are really happy with them coming here because they are good role models,” Montjane says.
“They look really fit. They look like ever-ready athletes. They’re prepared to do whatever they’re capable of. Their history in the sport really inspires me,” she adds.
Montjane, a mould breaker herself, has nothing but praise for the initiative that brought them to South Africa.
“Breaking the Mould will really give a lot of women the opportunity to see what they’re capable of, not to look down at themselves simply because they’re African and think they can’t achieve things. It is a good chance for African women to think out of the box. If the Williams sisters can do it, there is no reason why other women can’t do it as well. It’s a very good campaign for South Africans it should mean a lot.”
Montjane has even better praise for the development of wheelchair tennis amongst previously disadvantaged communities in South Africa. “The sport is really being dominated by black children in the junior side. I think wheelchair tennis is really going to grow in the country” Montjane says.
The Williams sisters might be leaving our shores but the work that they do with Breaking the Mould will continue. The initiative created by octagon South Africa acknowledges and recognises women, like the Williams sisters, who have broken the mould in their chosen paths.
Breaking the Mould’s South African’s mould breakers include Destiny Magazine founder and Editor Khanyi Dhlomo, founder and owner of Jenna Clifford, Jenna Clifford, businesswoman Brenda Madumise and University of Port Elizabeth chancellor Santie Botha.
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