South African tennis champions Liezel Huber and Wesley Moodie’s victories at this year’s Wimbledon tournament has raised questions about support for the sport in South Africa.
Moodie and his Australian partner, Stephen Huss, won the men’s doubles title, and Huber and Cara Black of Zimbabwe won the women’s doubles. Huber and Zimbabwe’s Kevin Ullyet also reached the semifinals of the mixed doubles.
It was the first time since 1982, when Kevin Curren and Ann Smith of the United States won the mixed doubles, that a Wimbledon title went to a South African player.
Ian Smith, chief executive of the South African Tennis Association (Sata), told the Mail & Guardian Online that both wins were great for South African tennis, especially since the two players weren’t funded and had no coach.
Regarding funding, Smith says: ”I’m hoping [sponsors] see what happened at Wimbledon [and realise] that we are still up there, even without money. We don’t have a major sponsorship at all and we’ve got serious talent out there.”
He adds that there are approximately between 60 000 and 70 000 people playing tennis on a regular basis in South Africa, and the little funding Sata receives from the government is not enough for the association to sponsor most players.
According to Smith, Huber and Moodie are the best thing in South African tennis since Wayne Ferreira and Amanda Coetzee.
”We put most of our money into development clinics that train juniors. Tennis has a bright future. We just need the backing.”
Smith says the South African Broadcasting Corporation doesn’t screen tennis often because it sees it as more of a developmental and not a major sport.
The Department of Sport and Recreation allocated R1 050 000 to tennis this year.
Director General of Sport and Recreation Denver Hendricks told the M&G Online that his department doesn’t fund tennis players, but it has for the past two years provided special funding to Sata.
”[Wimbledon was] a good weekend for South African tennis. [Achievements like these are] outstanding and I think it’s justly deserved. We as a department are supportive of tennis in whatever way we can. We have the potential to get back to those type of levels [of support that we once had],” adds Hendricks.
Huber, who is currently in the United States playing for the Delaware Smash team, says: ”South African Tennis [the South Africa Tennis Union, now known as Sata] did pretty much what they could for me at that time. Now I’m hoping that all the coverage creates some excitement.”
Durban-born Huber started playing tennis when she was five years old.
”I always wanted to be on the court. Growing up in Durban, I was primarily coached by my mother … I started playing much when I started walking.”
The South African Tennis Union sponsored a trip to the US when she was 12 years old, and ”that was the last of the financial support to come from them. My parents funded my whole career.”
She describes her experience at Wimbledon as ”excellent” and says: ”Obviously there was great prestige [playing on the court], especially since I was the first South African woman to win a title there [on the new number-one court].
”I think it’s a great thing that happened. I hope young players see us and say, ‘I want to be just like Liezel and Wesley,”’ she says.
Huber’s advice to all up-and-coming tennis players in South Africa is never to stop believing in themselves and to keep working hard.
”If Wesley and I can do this, then anybody can,” she adds.
Moodie told the M&G Online that his experience at Wimbledon was a ”great feeling — almost unreal”.
”It’s every tennis player’s dream to be in a final at Wimbledon, and I just made the most of that moment,” he says.
Moodie says he had a sponsor in the US, which gave him the opportunity to play on tour.
”It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to give professional tennis a go if you do not have financial support. It’s great that I have won a substantial amount of money by winning the doubles final. It takes the pressure off a bit,” he says.
”At the moment, I’m playing a few tournaments in the States leading up to the US Open. My focus will still be on my singles career; it is my goal to get into the top 50 in the world in singles.
”Winning the doubles has taken some of the pressure off my singles career — I know that I will be making money from doubles.
”It’s important that the young talent in South Africa has the support and exposure. Hopefully mine and Liezel’s victories will prove that it is worthwhile to sponsor tennis in South Africa. The talent is there, but the opportunities are lacking.”
According to Moodie, what South Africa needs is to have tournaments taking place in the country.
”We need to create an interest again, and then support that interest. Hopefully then we will see tennis champions emerging from South Africa again.
”There are definitely many people out there who share this passion, and it’s very encouraging to see. But what we need is to create more interest among a larger group of people. We need sponsorships, financial support, media interest and public support to put tennis back in the forefront,” he adds.
Moodie was born in Scottburgh, near Durban, and says he doesn’t spend enough time in South Africa because he is always on the road. He describes himself as ”relaxed, easy-going and positive”. He and his wife own a condo in Florida in the US where they spend most of their time.
He describes tennis as a ”great sport”, saying it’s ”very rewarding”.
”I am thrilled at what Stephen [Huss] and I achieved. It’s like a dream and it was great sharing that experience with my family, friends and everyone else who has supported me. I think it will only sink in when I go back next year and see my name on the board listing the doubles winners of every year!”
Moodie has some advice for young tennis players in South Africa: ”It’s easy to give up when the going gets tough and it’s really not easy out on the tour, but it’s important to be the best you can be and not have any regrets.
”You can learn a lot about life from the sport.”