Speaking at the ongoing US Open, Ilana Kloss expresses the urgent need for investment in South African tennis amidst a backdrop of past glories and current challenges.
Kloss highlights the importance of understanding history to shape the future of tennis, drawing on South Africa's successful tennis legacy to advocate for increased funding and support for emerging players.
Recounting her experiences growing up around Ellis Park and the thriving tennis scene there, Kloss emphasizes the need for structural changes and investments to nurture world-class talent in South Africa.
In collaboration with tennis luminaries like Billie Jean King, efforts are underway to raise funds for a major tennis center in Stellenbosch, aiming to create a central hub for tennis development in Africa.
Kloss stresses the importance of long-term investment from within South Africa to sustain and grow the sport, acknowledging the challenges of competing for attention and resources against other popular sports in the region.
