Wits university’s advanced tennis team played in the intra-Wits club championship, pitting the very best against one another in a fast-paced tournament.
Seth Thorne (21), honours in journalism student and Wits Vuvuzela journalist, put down his pen and notebook on May 13, 2023 and picked up his tennis racquet to compete and win the internal championship.
It was a long way to the top for players, needed to play and win eight matches to get to the final. The semi-finals saw Thorne beat Ciaran Swartz with a score of 6-1,6-2 while Roberto Da Silva beat Salmaan Bhatti, who withdrew his second set as he was suffering from fatigue and the overall score was 6-0.
Bozzoli tennis court was the stage for the David and Goliath battle between finalists Thorne and Da Silva, Wits’ number one player on 2022.
In the final, Thorne won the first set of the finals, 4-3, after long and good rallies. Da Silva fought back in the second set, which ended in a tiebreak.
The tiebreaker was short, but filled with intense saves from either side of the court. Thorne ended the set with a win, with a score of 6-4,4-6,10-6.
Thorne played defensively and minimized unforced errors to ensure consistent wins set after set. He also made sure that he gets every ball back with good positioning so that he puts his opponent under pressure to make mistakes, which worked in his favour.
Roberto Da Villa throwing the ball in the air, about to serve his opponent at in the tournament.
Da Silva said, “it was nice playing with Seth for a change. The game was very intense, and emotionally and mentally challenging, especially playing the icebreaker”.
The champion claimed prioritising fun over winning was the key to success, “I was able to play so much better” in that mindset he said.
Spectator, Neo Matutuane said, “The games were interesting, some of the scores don’t reflect how close the matches were.”
“What I’ve seen today from the players is courage, strength, determination, and resilience. Our finalists are dedicated club members and have shown that to preparations leading to the tournament,” stated the chairperson of the team, Connel Manhica.
Chidimma Ugwauanyi and Connel Manhica at the award giving ceremony for finalists.
Ciaran Swartz playing for semi-finals.
Finalists, Roberto Da Villa and Seth Thorne on their break.
Jesse Platt, the only lady that played against men in the tournament.
Family mmbers watching the match and cheering.
Swartz and Thorne sealing their match with a handshake.
Moosa Patel about to receive the tennis ball to serve his opponent.
Thorne about to receive the ball and serve his opponent.
FEATURED IMAGE: Thorne after getting a point in the finals. Photo: Boitumelo Masalesa
The university’s first-team tennis players came out on top in the intra-Wits club championship.
First-team player Loyiso Kole captured his second intra-Wits men’s singles title after defeating teammate Ciaran Swartz 6 –3, 7 –5. His first was in 2021.
With nine total breaks-of-serve between the two, Swartz managed to save three match points, however, Kole converted the fourth with his signature serve-and-volley play. “I could place my volleys well today,” said Kole. “It got to a point where I really counted on them.”
Another first-team player, Justine du-Pont, took the women’s singles title after winning all three of her matches in the round-robin format (everyone plays everyone). Du-Pont captured her second title of the day in the women’s doubles, with teammate Jesse Platt, after defeating Joanne Joseph and Isabella Weber, 6 – 0, 6 – 0.
Women’s singles and doubles champion du-Pont dropped only six games in her four matches. “My forehands and serves were really solid.” she said.
In total, three competitions were run over the weekend of April 1 and 2 by the Wits Tennis Club. Participants consisted of 10 prospective and current first team players. There were several withdrawals of first-team players before the tournament, resulting in smaller draws and cancelled men’s and mixed-doubles matches.
Each match was best of three sets, with the third set being a 10-point tiebreaker. The men’s singles ran as a knockout, with a back draw (loser plays loser). Seven men entered the tournament – with three consecutive wins needed to claim the title.
The men’s final between the two first-team players brought in spectators. Second-year BA student Neo Matutoane described the match as “super exciting”.
Although happy with their overall performance, first-team players indicated that there was room for improvement throughout the course of this year. “We (the team) are going to work very hard this year,” said Kole. Swartz and du-Pont echoed similar sentiments. “We all want to and need to improve,” said Swartz, and Du-Pont added that “There is a lot of hard work ahead of us.”
The tournament is aimed at fundraising ahead of the club’s first appearance at the University Sport South Africa’s (USSA’s) A section in six years, after their performance in USSA’s B division in December 2022, hosted by North-West University in Potchefstroom. This year’s event will be hosted at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape.
Head coach Sylvester Zungu, who joined the club in 2020, aims to get Wits to be considered as one of the top tennis universities in the country. “I am ambitious,” said Zungu. “I want [the club] to go to USSA and bring back silverware. The university is known for being the best in academics – it is time for it to be the same for tennis.”
Wits Tennis chairperson Connel Manhica said that the club was planning to organise friendly fixtures against the first teams of other universities in the USSA A section – particularly the University of Pretoria and North-West University in Potchefstroom. “This is aimed at getting match experience against strong teams,” said Manhica.
Ciaran Swartz hits a backhand volley during the men’s final. Photo: Seth Thorne
Loyiso Kole prepares to hit a forehand during his final. Photo: Seth Thorne
Loyiso Kole in his service motion during his semi-final match. Photo: Seth Thorne
Loyiso Kole shows frustration after an unforced error. Photo: Seth Thorne
Tawanda Nhokwane prepares to hit a backhand. Photo: Seth Thorne
Ciaran Swartz in his service motion during the final. Photo: Seth Thorne
Kani Lehlokoe hits a forehand in his first round match. Photo: Seth Thorne
Ciaran Swartz in his service motion. Photo: Seth Thorne
FEATURED: Ciaran Swartz lunges for a return of serve in the men’s final. Photo: Seth Thorne
COURT ORDER: Witsie Adam Gordon, third year BCom Law student triumphed over his coach and took the top spot in the Wits Tennis Club Championships. Photo: Bongiwe Tutu
By Lameez Omarjee and Bongiwe Tutu
In a scorching battle for the top spot, a Wits student outplayed his coach at the men’s final of the Wits Tennis club championships, earlier today at the Bozzoli tennis courts.
Third year BCom Law student, Adam Gordon, was quick to take the lead over Wits head tennis coach, Byron Werbeloff (23). Gordon finished the first set 6-1. Werbeloff fought hard to recover but conceded the second and final set 6-4 to Gordon.
Despite his quick victory, Gordon felt he could have done better. “It feels good. I did what I could to win, it helped that I remained consistent.” He added: “I didn’t play my best tennis, I should have been more aggressive”. Werbeloff also felt he could have been more aggressive in the game.
Tennis club tournaments are open to all members and this is why Werbeloff could play in the championship even as a coach. Werbeloff however gave his second place to student Rishay Bharath, 2nd year BSc mechanical engineering, saying “since I am the coach I would rather have one of my students take the win”. Witsie Mike Stephansen, 3rd year BAccSci, was placed third.
In another match Vladimer Makic, 2nd year BSc Applied Maths took fourth place when he beat Michael Wrathall, 1st year BSc aeronautical engineering. Makic said he won because “I served like a machine.”
The Wits tennis club has “raised record numbers of tennis players” and is one of the top five university clubs in the country, according to Werbeloff. A wooden racket tournament will be hosted in October to raise funds for the team, possibly for bursaries. The club hopes to revive tennis and reach the number one spot in the country.
The Women’s finals will take place on Tuesday at 5pm, at the Bozzoli tennis courts.
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