SA Players Given Wild Card Into SA Tennis Open

Written by: Staff on 26th January 2011

SA Players Given Wild Card Into SA Tennis Open |

South Africans Rik de Voest, Izak van der Merwe and Fritz Wolmarans have been given wild cards into the 2011 SA Tennis Open to be played at Montecasino in Johannesburg from 31 January to 6 February.

The announcement was made by tournament director Ian Smith, CEO of the SA Tennis Association. “We took the decision to give the wild cards to the three highest ranked South African players. In addition, Rik and Izak, have been stalwarts in the South African Davis Cup team over the last few years and they have earned their wild cards,” said Smith.

Van der Merwe is currently the highest ranked player at 174, De Voest is at 181 and Wolmarans at 275. “I’m very happy to receive a wild card for the 2011 SA Open,” said Van der Merwe. “It is a great opportunity for me to play at home and in the high altitude and I hope to put a good result together. Over the last few years I have had success at home and I would like to build on that at the SA Open.”

That brings to four, the number of South Africans in the direct draw as Kevin Anderson, currently ranked at No 61, has also entered the tournament. There could be more locals after the qualifying tournament is played over the weekend 29 and 30 January.

Already confirmed for the tournament is last year’s champion, Feliciano Lopez of Spain, Frenchmen Jeremy Chardy and Paul-Henri Mathieu and Germany’s Rainer Schuettler.

Topics: Fritz Wolmarans, Izak van der Merwe, Rik De Voest