Celebrating the rise of Women in sport who have flown and continue to fly the South African flag high both on domestic and international stages! Featured here is Kgothatso “KG” Montjane.
Smashing stereotypes and ruling the court! Kgothatso “KG” Montjane is a significant figure in the world of South African wheelchair tennis.
Born in Polokwane, Limpopo with a congenital birth defect, Kgothatso had to go through a single amputation below the knee at the age of 12.
Growing up with a disability wasn’t easy for KG as she had to drag herself outside whenever she wanted to play or move around.
In her late teenage years, at the age of 19, she found herself compelled to take up wheelchair tennis, marking yet another unforeseen twist in her life’s journey. Nearly two decades later, Montjane is the first African wheelchair tennis player to compete at four Paralympic Games.
Wheelchair Tennis Player Kgothatso 'KG' Montjane hailing from Limpopo has advanced to the finals of the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon. Well done! pic.twitter.com/MP9xsnZQTn
— Ndzavi Derrick .CBA (@NdzaviDerrick) July 10, 2021
Montjane stands out as the top player in the country and has made significant contributions to the growth of wheelchair tennis.
She led the team to play in the Invacare World Team Cups in Kenya and Israel. She was both a player and a captain. With her help, the team got their best-ever result, finishing in the top 4 at an international World Team Cup event for the first time.
Kgothatso is not just good at playing, she’s also good at leading and inspiring her teammates to do their best. Even though she started late, she really liked tennis and wanted to get better. She even went to university to learn more about sports and worked hard to become a good player.
Kgothatso studied a BSC in Recreation and Leisure at the University of Venda in 2010. She currently practices at the University of Pretoria at the High Performance Centre and also runs the Montjane Sports Development NGO which seeks to establish sporting facilities in rural areas for the disadvantaged.
Africa’s top wheelchair tennis player Kgothatso “KG” Montjane’s tale of victory is a cocktail of perseverance, resilience, guts, and unapologetic stubbornness. https://t.co/ZwpDLteO4i
— Sowetan LIVE (@SowetanLIVE) August 9, 2023
In 2018, Montjane made history by being the first African wheelchair tennis player to play at Wimbledon. She got a special chance, called a wild card, to play in the tournament in London.
Back in 2012, Montjane did something amazing at Wimbledon. She became the first black South African woman to reach the final matches in both singles and doubles.
Montjane started her Paralympic journey in 2008 in Beijing. Then, she went on to compete in London and Rio de Janeiro.
But the big year for Montjane was 2018, where she did something nobody from Africa had done before. She played in four major tournaments for wheelchair tennis: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. This was a remarkable achievement in a single year.
Some of her accolades include:
- First Black South African woman to ever play at the Wimbledon championships.
- Paralympics Rio 2016, London 2012 & Beijing 2008.
- NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019.
- 1 st Black African to compete at all 4 grand slams in one calendar in 2019.
- Doubles Finalist at the 2019 US Open.
- Doubles Finalist at 2021 Australian Open.
Awards:
- Sportswoman of the Year with a disability, Gauteng Sports and Recreation (2019, 2015, 2014, 2013).
- Sports Personality Award, Gauteng Sports and Recreation (2019).
- Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability, G Sports Spar Awards (2020,2019, 2016, 2013).
- Glamour Magazine Sports personality award (2018).
- SA Sports and Recreation Department Sportswoman of the Year (2015, 2014, 2013).
An incredible run.
— Tennis South Africa (@TennisSA) July 11, 2021
🔵First Grand Slam singles final ✅
🟢First @Wimbledon doubles final ✅
🟡First black South African woman to reach @Wimbledon final ✅
🟠Wimbledon history maker ✅
REMEMEBER THE NAME ➡️ Kgothatso 'KG' Montjane 🙌#Wimbledon I #WheelchairTennis pic.twitter.com/dYYFpHHm1j
Kgothatso Montjane’s journey in wheelchair tennis shows that if you work hard and never give up, you can achieve amazing things. She’s not only a great player but also a leader who cares about her community. Her story inspires others to believe in themselves and work towards their dreams.
The Limpopo-born tennis player is currently ranked first in South Africa and fourth in the ITF World Wheelchair Tennis rankings.
