CHRISTI Potgieter, a 16-year-old boeremeisie from the Northern Cape, outlasted her more experienced opponent yesterday in the Soweto Women's Open tennis championships.
CHRISTI Potgieter, a 16-year-old boeremeisie from the Northern Cape, outlasted her more experienced opponent yesterday in the Soweto Women's Open tennis championships.
She prevailed against Italy's Nicole Clerico in a 3hr 7min marathon at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Centre in Jabavu.
Barely out of the junior ranks and without a WTA ranking, Potgieter demonstrated an intensity and resolution rare for a player of her age and experience and won 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 7-6 (12-10) after a third-set tiebreaker that seemed to go on for an eternity.
It was a storybook first-round success for Potgieter, who was included in the South African team for a Fed Cup match last week against Turkey.
Her second round match will be a tougher encounter against Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia, who is the fourth seed.
The only other South African to progress into the second round was Natalie Grandin, who beat Leonie Merkel of The Netherlands 6-3 6-2. With a world ranking of 249th she is the host nation's main hope in the tournament. - Sapa
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.