Centurion, Pretoria, 4 July 2022 - Extending its long-running support of the sport, across all levels of the game, Growthpoint Properties has renewed its partnership with Tennis South Africa (TSA).
Growthpoint, which became the headline sponsor of TSA in July 2017, will continue to support the federation for another 12 months.
This announcement ensures local tennis will be able to continue its upward trajectory, after seeing a significant increase in participation over the last couple of years at junior, senior and development level.
This resurgence in the sport includes a 27% increase in participation at Growthpoint Junior Super 8 tournaments, a 50% increase at Growthpoint Seniors Inter-Provincial tournaments, a 56% increase at the Growthpoint Seniors National Championships, a 90% increase at the Growthpoint Soweto Abadala event, and an overall 17% increase in player participation at Growthpoint Development Centres.
"As the data clearly indicates, we have seen a major increase in participation at all levels of the sport in the last two years," said TSA CEO Andre Homan.
"A significant amount of the credit for this resurgence must be given to Growthpoint Properties and its continued investment in TSA, and we appreciate the ongoing support from one of our closest partners."
Growthpoint’s sponsorship of TSA over the last five years has helped the federation roll out four national development centres in Atteridgeville, Cape Town, Durban, and Soweto, and the extended one-year partnership will see a new national development centre being launched.
These centres have played a key role in building the foundation of the sport and providing opportunities for promising young players around the country especially in historically disadvantaged communities.
Several players from the Growthpoint Development Centres have been awarded university scholarships in South Africa and the United States, and more than 50 players at the four centres have qualified for the Growthpoint Junior Nationals on ranking merit.
Among the success stories of the Growthpoint Development Centres, 15-year-old Simphiwe Ngwenya from KwaZulu-Natal reached the semi-finals of the 2021 Growthpoint Junior Nationals, before receiving a life-time opportunity to represent South Africa in the BNP Paribas Young Talent Teams event at the top-flight Roland Garros tournament in Paris earlier this year.
As part of the extended sponsorship, support from Growthpoint will also be provided for junior, seniors (veteran players), national tournaments, club tennis, transformation and development.
"When Growthpoint committed to being headline sponsor of TSA five years ago, we did so with the explicit aim of helping to grow the foundations of the sport to give people of all ages and from all backgrounds the opportunity to learn, compete and excel. We are delighted with the positive impacts that our sponsorship has had on the sport of tennis in South Africa to date. By taking tennis to the people, this sponsorship reflects our Environmental, Social and Governance strategy, which includes improving the social wellbeing of individuals and communities by creating opportunities to thrive," said Growthpoint Properties SA CEO Estienne de Klerk.
“We are pleased to continue growing and transforming tennis in South Africa, broadening sporting opportunities in communities across the country and nurturing tennis talent through our renewed sponsorship of TSA. Our partnership enables tennis players around the country to participate at all levels of the game and helps ensure there are sufficient and equal opportunities in the sport,” he adds.
Growthpoint Properties is a leading international property company that creates space to thrive with innovative and sustainable property solutions in environmentally friendly buildings. It is invested in real estate and communities across South Africa, Africa, Australia, Poland, Romania, and the UK, and is South Africa’s largest primary JSE-listed REIT. Growthpoint owns and manages the largest portfolio of green-certified buildings in Africa and is 50% co-owner of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
