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]
 Montjane in Geneva in 2014 | |
| Country (sports) |  South Africa |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 June 1986 Seshego, Limpopo, South Africa |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 368–212 |
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (31 December 2021) |
| Current ranking | No. 11 (24 June 2024) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024) |
| French Open | SF (2013, 2021, 2022) |
| Wimbledon | F (2021) |
| US Open | SF (2018) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Masters | RR (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) |
| Paralympic Games | 2R (2012, 2016, 2020) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 263–161 |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (18 March 2024) |
| Current ranking | No. 2 (24 June 2024) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | F (2024) |
| French Open | W (2023) |
| Wimbledon | W (2024) |
| US Open | W (2023) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Masters Doubles | F (2013) |
| Paralympic Games | QF (2020) |
Early life
editMontjane 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.[2]
Career
editMontjane 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.[3] She was named South Africa's disabled sportswoman of the year three times, in 2005, 2011 and 2015.[4] Montjane holds 29 singles titles and won tournaments such as the wheelchair Belgian Open and Swiss Open.[3][5] She is also successful in doubles, where she won, among others, the Belgian Open in 2015 together with Jordanne Whiley.[6] 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.[7]
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.[8][2][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
editWheelchair singles: 1 (1 runner-up)
edit| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 2021 | Wimbledon | Grass | 2–6, 2–6 |
Wheelchair doubles: 11 (3 titles, 8 runner-ups)
edit| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 2019 | US Open | Hard | 2–6, 0–6 | ||
| Loss | 2021 | Australian Open | Hard | 4–6, 1–6 | ||
| Loss | 2021 | Wimbledon | Grass | 0–6, 6–7(0–7) | ||
| Loss | 2022 | French Open | Clay | 6–7(5–7), 6–1, [8–10] | ||
| Loss | 2022 | US Open | Hard | 2–6, 2–6 | ||
| Win | 2023 | French Open | Clay | 6–2, 6–3 | ||
| Loss | 2023 | Wimbledon | Grass | 1–6, 4–6 | ||
| Win | 2023 | US Open | Hard | walkover | ||
| Loss | 2024 | Australian Open | Hard | 3–6, 6–7(2–7) | ||
| Loss | 2024 | French Open | Clay | 7–6(8–6), 6–7(2–7), [4–10] | ||
| Win | 2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | 6-4, 6-4 |
References
edit- ^ Vardien, Tashreeq. "Wimbledon glory for SA's Montjane in wheelchair women's doubles". Sport. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Kgothatso Montjane, l'atleta sudafricana che sogna di fare la storia del tennis in carrozzina" [Kgothatso Montjane, the South African athlete who dreams of making the history of Wheelchair Tennis]. lastampa.it (in Italian). La Stampa. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Kgothatso Montjane ITF profile". itftennis.com. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "South African Sports Awards honours top performers". gov.zaa. South African Government. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "Kgothatso Montjane wins Swiss Open". citizen.co.za. The Citizen. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "Jordanne Whiley: Wimbledon champion wins sixth title of 2015". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "Kgothatso Montjane Player Profile Australien Open". ausopen.com. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "Lucas Sithole Remains South Africa's Last Tennis Hope At Paralympics". afkinsider.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
- ^ "Wheelchair tennis quartet ready for Rio". sabc.co.za. South African Broadcasting Corporation. 24 July 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Kgothatso Montjane". africastyledaily.com. 8 July 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
- ^ "South Africa's sports awards nominees are announced". southafrica.info. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
- ^ "Matlou named Sportswoman of the Year". sanews.gov.za. Official government News Agency. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
- ^ "Kgothatso Montjane found wheelchair tennis and it opened up a whole new world". espn.com. ESPN. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- ^ Sibembe, Yanga (12 July 2021). "Double disappointment at Wimbledon for history-making tennis star Kgothatso Montjane". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ Beckett-Msiza, Janice. "Kgothatso Montjane reflects on winning two Grand Slams in one year: 'It came as a surprise'". You. Retrieved 15 July 2024.