Tennis SA pay their respects

Johannesburg - Former president Nelson Mandela's legacy will remain a source of inspiration and courage, Tennis SA (TSA) said on Saturday.

"Humanity has lost a tireless champion of peace, liberty and equality," TSA president Bongani Zondi said in a statement.

"In his decades spent fighting for freedom and equality, Mandela inspired and challenged the world to stand up for others.

"Because of him, South Africa is today one of the world's leading democracies," said Zondi.

He said Mandela had supported the sport and had been a big friend of tennis.

"He personally called our leading tennis professionals on the eve of Grand Slams or major competitions to wish them well.

"He also took time from his busy schedule to meet with our Davis and Fed Cup teams."

According to TSA, Madiba's greatest tennis moment was when he hosted the Nelson Mandela Tribute, in Cape Town, attended by top players Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Goran Ivanisevic, Todd Martin, Leander Paes, Richard Krajicek, MaliVai Washington, Wayne Ferreira, Yannick Noah, Amanda Coetzer and Iva Majoli.

Mandela died in Johannesburg on Thursday and will be buried in his hometown of Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, next Sunday.