Kgothatso Montjane Explained

Kgothatso Montjane
Birth Date:3 June 1986
Birth Place:Seshego, Limpopo, South Africa
Highestsinglesranking:No. 4 (31 December 2021)
Currentsinglesranking:No. 11 (24 June 2024)
Australianopenresult:SF (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024)
Frenchopenresult:SF (2013, 2021, 2022)
Wimbledonresult:F (2021)
Usopenresult:SF (2018)
Othertournaments:yes
Wheelchairtennismastersresult:RR (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
Paralympicsresult:2R (2012, 2016, 2020)
Highestdoublesranking:No. 1 (18 March 2024)
Currentdoublesranking:No. 2 (24 June 2024)
Australianopendoublesresult:F (2024)
Frenchopendoublesresult:W (2023)
Wimbledondoublesresult:W (2024)
Usopendoublesresult:W (2023)
Othertournamentsdoubles:yes
Wheelchairtennismastersdoublesresult:F (2013)
Paralympicsdoublesresult:QF (2020)

Kgothatso Montjane (born 3 June 1986) is a South African wheelchair tennis player. In 2024, she became the first black South African woman to win at Wimbledon when she won the wheelchair women's doubles.[1]

Early life

Montjane was born in Seshego on the periphery of Polokwane, Limpopo with a congenital disorder which affected both of her hands and a foot with the other foot being amputated by the age of 12.

Career

Montjane is a successful wheelchair tennis player who is placed in the top 10 of the ITF ranking. Her highest rank was 5 in the world in 2005.[2] She was named South Africa's disabled sportswoman of the year three times, in 2005, 2011 and 2015.[3] Montjane holds 29 singles titles and won tournaments such as the wheelchair Belgian Open and Swiss Open.[4] She is also successful in doubles, where she won, among others, the Belgian Open in 2015 together with Jordanne Whiley.[5] In 2013 and 2014, she participated in 3 of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments, Australian Open, Roland Garros and US Open, where she was able to reach the quarter and semifinals in the singles and the semifinals in all of the doubles tournaments.[6]

She was a member of the South African team at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympics, but was not able to secure a medal.[7] [8] [9] Besides being a Paralympian, she was a 2009 and 2011 World Team Cup participant for South Africa.[10] [11] [12]

In 2018, she managed to qualify for the prestigious Wimbledon tournament, the first black South African woman to do so. In the same year, she also competed at the US Open and became therefore the first African wheelchair tennis player to qualify for all four Grand Slam tournaments in the same year.[13]

In 2021, she reached her first Grand Slam finals in the single and doubles at Wimbledon.[14]

In 2023, she won the French Open and US Open wheelchair doubles with partner Yui Kamiji.[15]

Grand Slam tournament finals

Wheelchair doubles: 11 (3 titles, 8 runner-ups)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss2019US OpenHard Sabine Ellerbrock Diede de Groot
Aniek van Koot
2–6, 0–6
Loss2021Australian OpenHard Lucy Shuker Diede de Groot
Jiske Griffioen
4–6, 1–6
Loss2021Grass Lucy Shuker Yui Kamiji
Jordanne Whiley
0–6, 6–7(0–7)
Loss2022French OpenClay Yui Kamiji Diede de Groot
Aniek van Koot
6–7(5–7), 6–1, [8–10]
Loss2022US Open Hard Yui Kamiji Diede de Groot
Aniek van Koot
2–6, 2–6
Win2023French OpenClay Yui Kamiji Diede de Groot
María Florencia Moreno
6–2, 6–3
Loss2023Wimbledon Grass Yui Kamiji Diede de Groot
Jiske Griffioen
1–6, 4–6
Win2023US OpenHard Yui Kamiji Diede de Groot
Jiske Griffioen
walkover
Loss2024Australian Open Hard Yui Kamiji Diede de Groot
Jiske Griffioen
3–6, 6–7(2–7)
Loss2024French Open Clay Yui Kamiji Diede de Groot
Aniek van Koot
7–6(8–6), 6–7(2–7), [4–10]
Win2024Wimbledon Grass Yui Kamiji Diede de Groot
Jiske Griffioen
6-4, 6-4

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vardien . Tashreeq . Wimbledon glory for SA's Montjane in wheelchair women's doubles . 2024-07-15 . Sport . en-US.
  2. Web site: Kgothatso Montjane ITF profile . itftennis.com . September 14, 2016.
  3. Web site: South African Sports Awards honours top performers . gov.zaa . August 22, 2011 . . September 14, 2016.
  4. Web site: Kgothatso Montjane wins Swiss Open . citizen.co.za . . September 14, 2016 . 24 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151224043600/http://citizen.co.za/435902/kgothatso-montjane-wins-swiss-open/ . dead .
  5. Web site: Jordanne Whiley: Wimbledon champion wins sixth title of 2015 . bbc.com . September 14, 2016 . BBC.
  6. Web site: Kgothatso Montjane Player Profile Australien Open . ausopen.com . September 14, 2016.
  7. Web site: Lucas Sithole Remains South Africa's Last Tennis Hope At Paralympics . afkinsider.com . September 14, 2013.
  8. Web site: Kgothatso Montjane, l'atleta sudafricana che sogna di fare la storia del tennis in carrozzina . lastampa.it . Kgothatso Montjane, the South African athlete who dreams of making the history of Wheelchair Tennis . . September 10, 2013 . September 14, 2016 . Italian.
  9. Web site: Wheelchair tennis quartet ready for Rio . sabc.co.za . July 24, 2016 . . September 14, 2016 .
  10. Web site: Kgothatso Montjane . africastyledaily.com . July 8, 2013 . July 14, 2013.
  11. Web site: South Africa's sports awards nominees are announced . southafrica.info . September 14, 2013.
  12. Web site: Matlou named Sportswoman of the Year . sanews.gov.za . Official government News Agency . September 14, 2013.
  13. Web site: Kgothatso Montjane found wheelchair tennis and it opened up a whole new world . espn.com . . March 9, 2019.
  14. Web site: Sibembe . Yanga . 2021-07-12 . Double disappointment at Wimbledon for history-making tennis star Kgothatso Montjane . 2024-07-15 . Daily Maverick . en.
  15. Web site: Beckett-Msiza . Janice . Kgothatso Montjane reflects on winning two Grand Slams in one year: ‘It came as a surprise’ . 2024-07-15 . You . en-US.