Goal is to turn tennis into a school sport, says coach

The mood in the Mitchell's Plain Tennis Club (MPTC) camp was understandably upbeat as their annual club championships kicked off in near perfect weather, at the floodlit courts on Silversands Avenue, next to Westridge swimming pool, last Friday.

Club member George Timmie, a member of the tournament’s organising committee, said the vibe and crowd that turned up on Day One of the championships was unlike anything they’ve seen recently.

"The turnout was fantastic this year, from juniors to veterans, the whole club came together, and the level of tennis was something to be proud of,” said Timmie.

While not all matches were played under lights, he said, several key fixtures created an exciting atmosphere for those who attended.

Established in 2008, the club is affiliated to Cape Town Tennis (CTT) Federation with five teams playing in both summer and spring leagues.

Crowned CTTF Fourth Division men’s singles league winners in 2024, MPTC earned promotion to play in the Third Division for the 2025 season despite a lack of adequate facilities and excessive fees and other costs.

“Of course, anyone can learn to play, but not all will become good players,” said MPTC head coach and men’s club captain, Andrew Japhta. “It takes a lot of passion and dedication in order to perform at a high level. Raw talent obviously helps,” he said.

Among the club’s bright prospects is Zariya Joubert, 15, from Woodlands and a former pupil at Woodville Primary School.

A Grade 9 pupil at Curro Durbanville, Zariya said she was offered a spot at the school last year, following a match against an opponent from Kenridge Tennis Club who introduced her to the Curro head coach.

Born into a tennis environment, the youngster started playing tennis at a young age and has become a regular inclusion in the Cape Town district and provincial teams.

In 2023 and 2024 she was selected to play in the national schools winter championships and recently won a one-year membership to attend a high performance academy, at Kenridge Tennis Club.

“My father, Waleed, took me to the tennis court at the age of five and since then I haven’t dropped a tennis racquet,” she said.

Trying to balance school work, tennis and social life can be challenging for any teen, but, says Zariya, it’s best to be persistent on the court and to attend every practice session. 

“My father constantly reminds me of how important training and fitness is,” she said.

"The players I look up to are Naomi Osaka, Arayna Sabalenka and Rafa Nadal. All the challenges they had faced and how they overcame them, keeps me motivated to keep going for more,” she said.

“Zariya is a highly skilled athlete and hard worker with a positive attitude which makes her very coachable,” said Japhta, who has been a MPTC member for 17 years. Previously, he said, the club was known as Springdale Tennis Club, which was established in 1986 and situated on the Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital premises where there were four tennis courts. “I joined Springdale in 1991. In 1994 the club moved to Westridge,” he said.

He said tennis is often seen as an elitist sport compared to more popular sporting codes and team sports like soccer, cricket, netball and rugby. 

“It also does not help that tennis facilities in our townships and schools are non-existent. Sporting authorities like the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) and the City of Cape Town should develop programmes, appoint coaches and build infrastructure to assist in the growth of tennis,” he said.

“The goal this year is to turn tennis into a school sport and to create a well-run schools league in Mitchell's Plain,” he said.

“The best thing about coaching is moulding and developing a player from nothing, and watching the player gradually transform into a highly skilled competitor,” said Japhta. "Moreover," he said, "the best thing should just be about getting children to play, period."

"The important thing is to create awareness in our communities," he said. "Playing tennis builds mental strength, stamina and character,” said Japhta, encouraging complete beginners to more experienced players to join the club.

MPTC’s number one ranked player, Dylan Kinnes, 34, has been playing since the age of 12 and joined the club after spotting Japhta coaching other juniors.

“I was on the court the very next day and the rest as they say is history,” he said.

“I became number one at the club by winning the most matches in tournaments and league matches,” he said, quick to thank Japhta and other senior players who guided him over the years.

“Twenty two years down the line, I would definitely love to see a Wimbledon champion emerge from our junior programme at Mitchell’s Plain tennis Club,” he said.

Club chairman, Razeen Benjamin, who has been with MPTC since its official inception in 2008, said the weekend’s club championships featured matches in the singles and doubles versions of the game and also served as a rankings tournament to assess players and place them in appropriate CTTF leagues.

As far as future developments are concerned, Benjamin said he’d like to see more women and juniors get involved

“We are in the process of launching a schools league with our first school activation taking place at Spine Road High today, ”said Benjamin.

For more information, call 083 488 5578.