Share

Scheepers tops SA Slam list

Cape Town - Channelle Scheepers is currently South Africa's most successful Grand Slam singles tennis player.

The 26-year-old achieved this status by reaching the third round of the Australian Open, at Melbourne Park, before losing to eighth-ranked Viktoria Azarenko.

Last year, Scheepers reached the fourth round of the French Open singles, something no active South African player - male or female - has achieved in any Grand Slam event.

At the moment, she is ranked 107th women's singles player, but is expected to come close to bettering her career-best ranking of 84th when the latest ratings are announced next week.

The one thing Harrismith-born Scheepers has not achieved is recognition in South Africa.

She said she decided to base herself in Houston, in the United States, when it became clear that her tennis career would "go nowhere" if she remained in South Africa.

She took a calculated decision to concentrate on ITF tournaments, of which she has won 12, instead of battling to make the main draws on the high-profile WTA World Circuit.

As a result, her WTA tournament record is nothing to shout about.

However, she has proved her mettle in Grand Slam tournaments, which is where it matters.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE