Young SA Tennis Team Holds Their Own at Billie Jean King Cup

Despite facing tough competition, South Africa’s young women’s tennis squad showed grit and resilience at the Billie Jean King Cup in Larnaca, Cyprus. The six-day tournament wrapped up over the weekend, with the team managing to hold on to their spot in the Europe/Africa Group II.

The national team, made up of teenagers Jahnie van Zyl (16), Donna le Roux (17), Abigayel Vosloo (17), Kaitlyn Ramduth (18) and Marilouise van Zyl (18), finished third in their opening group. They started strong with a solid 3-0 win against Kosovo, but later lost to Norway and narrowly missed out against North Macedonia.

In the playoffs, they faced more experienced sides, losing 2-1 to Israel and 2-0 to Bosnia and Herzegovina, finishing ninth overall.

Team captain Roxanne Clarke said the experience was invaluable for the young players, who got the chance to represent the country on a global stage. She added that the team came into the tournament with a clear goal and achieved it, maintaining their place in Group II.

Georgia and Norway topped the standings and will move up to Group I next season. On the other end, Estonia and Kosovo were relegated to Group III.

With this experience under their belts, South Africa’s young guns are already looking forward to next year’s challenge.