A big opportunity for SA tennis
Brad Morgan
17 April 2008
With the recent astonishing rise of Kevin Anderson up the world tennis rankings, a very encouraging Davis Cup victory over Finland in Helsinki at the weekend, and a successful South African Airways Open in East London in February, South African tennis is showing promising signs. But there is still a lot of work to be done.
As a journalist, I see a clear commitment to publicise the game in the consistent stream of quality press releases I have received lately on behalf of the South African Tennis Association. They had, in recent years, been missing and it is encouraging to see feel-good reports coming out of the sport.
However, despite support from South African Airways, the SA Tennis Association is not flush with cash. In fact, the organization is currently considering whether or not to give up home-ground advantage for a Davis Cup tie against Denmark in July – an almost unheard of move.
Costs
The costs involved in staging a home tie are in excess of R600 000. South African Airways takes care of all flights, but beyond that there are plenty of expenses to be met.
Because of the high costs, SA Tennis Association President Johann Koorts says he will discuss matters with the South African Davis Cup team's non-playing captain, John-Laffnie de Jager, before making a recommendation. A decision has to be communicated to the International Tennis Federation by 23 April.
Interestingly, South Africa hasn't enjoyed great success on home soil in recent years, but the last Davis Cup victory at home came against … Denmark.
Koorts says another factor that would favour a tie in Europe is the fact that the clash is set to take place not long after Wimbledon, when many players head to the USA. He reckons traveling to Europe from the United States, rather than to South Africa, would be a lot less tiring for the players.
Good opportunity
Yet, giving up home ground advantage would be forgoing an opportunity to build on favourable press generated by the SA Airways Open in February, and by Anderson reaching the final of the Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas, followed by his victory over Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic at the Masters Series in Miami.
And don't forget South Africa's 4-1 Davis Cup win over Finland. Spearheaded by world number 26 Jarkko Nieminen, who entered the tie with a 26-6 record in Davis Cup play, the Finns have proved tough opponents at home in recent years, but South Africa beat them, and by a good margin.
In the tie's crucial clash, Anderson fought back from a set down to dispose of Nieminen 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
It was honours even after the opening day when Anderson beat Finland's number two Juho Paukki in straight sets, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, while Nieminen beat SA number two Rik de Voest 6-4, 6-3, 7-5.
On day two, the SA doubles combination of Wesley Moodie and Jeff Coetzee - ranked fifth in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race - proved the value of having an outstanding doubles pairing in Davis Cup competition. They defeated Nieminen and Henri Kontinen 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 to give South Africa a precious lead.
On the final day, Anderson scored the vital victory over Nieminen before De Voest put the cherry on the top of the already-decided tie by beating Kontinen 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Worthy successor
Five years after Wayne Ferreira retired, Davis Cup captain John-Laffnie de Jager feels South Africa has finally found a worthy successor to the former world number six in Anderson, who has rocketed from 550 in the world rankings to 110 in the space of six months.
De Jager, though, believes the rankings don't do Anderson justice; he puts him among the top 30 or 40 players in the world. Anderson's form in Helsinki, reckons De Jager, shows his victory over Djokovic in Miami was not a fluke.
Most encouraging is that the two-metre tall, 21-year-old Anderson is just beginning to make his way on the ATP Tour and the potential for bigger and better things appears to be great.
At last, South Africa could have found a role model, like Wayne Ferreira was, for up-and-coming youngsters to look up to.
One hopes, for the sake of South African tennis fans, they have an opportunity to see Anderson in action at home, and that he provides the spark to grow the game in the country.
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