All the players participating in the Nelson Mandela Tribute tennis tournament said they are here for a very serious reason and that is to do well in the tournament. The tournament starts on Friday and runs until Sunday at the Good Hope Centre in Cape Town.
Boris Becker, 30, said he takes this tournament very seriously, because “I’m not playing much any more, so anytime I get a chance to play against the calibre of player who is here it is great.” In the first round he will play against Andre Agassi, and Mal Washington.
South African Amanda Coetzer takes on French Open champion Iva Majoli in her opening match. This is seen as a replay of their Paris semi-final match which Majoli won 7-5 in the third set. “Our French Open encounter was long and gruelling but it was a great match. I hope we can repeat tennis of that calibre on Saturday night,” said Coetzer.
Becker said he hoped that the supporters will enjoy every minute of the tournament. “We owe it to every body to put on some great matches,” he added.
Sport Briefs
SA cricket women’s team lost to their English counterparts by 7 runs in a women’s World Cup match limited by rain to 22 overs in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The South Africans were restricted to 87 all out, with only seven runs scored in six overs at one stage, while England scored 94/7.
Ncita for title challenge former International Boxing Federation (IBF) Junior featherweight champion Welcome “Hawk” Ncita meets Mexican Hector Lizaragga for the vacant IBF featherweight title in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night. The title was vacated by the British boxing sensation Naseem Hamed.
Gauteng beats Free State cricket team skipper Ken Rutherford inspired his team to a 5-wicket victory over Free State in their Standard Bank League match at the Springbok Park on Wednesday. Rutherford scored an unbeaten 82 in his side’s 200 for five, with 1,2 overs remaining. Free State were restricted to 198 for eight in 45 overs. Rutherford’s other milestone on the day was that he recorded his 1 000th run in one-day matches in South Africa.
Skier back in action South African snow skier Alex Heath, 19, is back after suffering a serious head injury last year. Heath finished 11th of 110 competitors in the International Slalom competition last weekend, his best result.
Masilela seriously hurt former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Joel “Fire” Masilela will only be back in contention for Sundowns next year after sustaining a leg ligament injury during the second leg of the Rothmans Cup at FNB. “I nearly lost my right leg, my powerful asset, because of that tackle,” said Masilela.