7 May 2023
There was a noticeable increase in intensity when Westville Boys’ High took on two-time defending champions, Paul Roos, in the final of the Spar Kearsney Tennis Festival on Sunday morning. On the line was the title of the number one boys’ tennis team in South Africa.
After the final shot of a high-quality contest was played, it was Westville who walked away with the title for the first time, bringing to an end a seven-year wait to capture the crown for Griffin’s coach Charles Tsangamwe.
Match results
Westville number one Guy Vorwerk set the tone for the win with a hugely impressive 6-1, 6-2 victory over Paul Roos number one Willem de Waal.
At number two, Connor Doig saw off Leonardo Sola 6-4, 6-2, but PRG pulled one back when Pieter Kotze held on for a 6-4, 6-4 win over Senthen Reddy in the clash of the number threes.
In a battle of two steady, return-everything type of players, Matthew Wilson scored a crucial 7-6, 6-1 win over Echard de Klerk at number four, while with his victory, Westville number five, Lindo Gcwensa, secured the title for his team before the completion of the last match. He was a 6-2, 7-6 winner over Divan Prinsloo.
Lindo’s making the most of Westville opportunity | Pinnacle Schools (pinnacle-schools.com)
Paul Roos took the honours in the number six match, with Xander Prinsloo edging out Adam Logie 7-6, 3-6, 12-10. By then, however, Westville knew they had the title in hand.
Westville edge Grey, open path to festival final | Pinnacle Schools (pinnacle-schools.com)
It’s Westville vs Paul Roos for Spar Kearsney tennis title | Pinnacle Schools (pinnacle-schools.com)
“It means a lot to all of us”
Westville number one Guy Vorwerk told Pinnacle Schools: “It means a lot because over the past three years we have been trying and trying, and we have come close, but we weren’t able to get over the line. Finally, today, we all pitched, and we were able to get through. It means a lot to all of us.”
For Griffins’ coach Charles Tsangamwe, it had been an even longer wait. “It feels really good to finally do it,” he said. “I think it is vindication of the hard work that we have put in over the last 12 months, and we were quite determined to put the boys on the pedestal.”
“Very, very tough opponents”
Yes, he admitted, he thought Westville had the team to finally capture the prestigious title this year, but there is always some doubt when it comes to tennis. “We had two very, very tough opponents in Grey College and Paul Roos,” Tsangamwe said. “We were quite confident that if they did their jobs, and they did what they were supposed to do and were capable of, we had a shot.”
However, even after a one-sided 17-1 win over Affies in the cross-group playoffs, which secured Westville a place in the title-decider, he still had concerns, Tsangamwe revealed. “I was a little bit concerned yesterday. We didn’t play as well as we can against Affies. We had to sit as a team and have a chat and remind ourselves how long we have been trying to do this, and I am so happy to see that they all put in a shift.”
Tsangamwe said the team had wanted to win the title for the two matric boys in the Westville line-up, Senthen Reddy and Adam Logie, and it was satisfying to realise that goal.
KZN drought over
The event has been going for 28 years and only in its first two years had it been won by a KZN school. Kearsney College won the inaugural festival in 1996, and then shared the title with Waterkloof in 1997. It had been a fruitless pursuit of the honours for the host province ever since then. No longer!
“We’re very proud, on behalf of the province. Obviously, it has been going to Paul Roos a lot. They’ve won it 14 times, Waterkloof three times, Grey College four times, so it is really nice. These are schools with serious tennis pedigrees, so it is nice to be counted among them,” Westville coach Tsangamwe said.
With the Griffin losing only two of their team after 2023, they could add to their success in this year’s Spar Kearsney Tennis Festival with further hard work. Thanks to their commendable depth, they have the quality in their ranks to ensure that the top players remain challenged, which will lead to their further growth as players.
Top players’ awards
After the conclusion of the last match, at the prize-giving, the top players in each position were recognised. Westville produced three of the six: Guy Vorwerk (#1), Connor Doig (#2) and Lindo Gcwensa (#4). Paul Roos had two players named: Xander Pienaar (#6) and Pieter Kotze (#3), while Grey College’s Mpho Leshoele was named the top number five.
While Westville stole the spotlight, the event demonstrated that the hosts, Kearsney College, are still among the best tennis schools in the country. They lost out by a single set to Affies, who went on to play Westville for a place in the final. Kearsney, then, clinched fifth spot on Sunday morning with a victory over Pretoria Boys’ High.
Well run, well contested
Observed from the outside, the event was very well organised, the facilities immaculately maintained, and, crucially, the sportsmanship very good. The play was of a very high standard.
Besides the headline sponsor, Spar, the festival was also supported by Sanlam, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Wilson.
Final Positions
1st: Westville Boys’ High School
2nd: Paul Roos Gimnasium
3rd: Grey College
4th: Affies
5th: Kearsney College
6th: Pretoria Boys’ High
7th: Rondebosch Boys’ High
8th: Saint David’s Marist Inanda
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