New tennis event for Gauteng

Johannesburg - A new open tennis tournament, sponsored by a sporting goods manufacturer, will be staged in Gauteng in May.

The Wilson R100 000 Challenge, to be played at the German Club in Johannesburg from May 10 to 14th, would be run under the auspices of Tennis South Africa (TSA).

"This tournament will do wonders for the growth and interest in the game," said TSA CEO Ian Smith.

"Some of our top local players are expected to enter so it will be a feast of action for the tennis spectator."

There will be a singles and doubles event in the junior boys and girls, various seniors categories, as well as the Open men’s and women’s tournament.

Prize money would be paid from the quarter-final rounds onwards, with the men's Open singles winner receiving R20 000 and the women's Open singles winner R7 000.

"We need to keep our top players in the game and encourage our junior players, and reward our senior players, for their commitment over the years to tennis," Smith said.