In South Africa, tennis to win back townships

This Friday, February 7, South Africa is hosting two tennis legends. Swiss Roger Federer and Spaniard Rafael Nadal travel to the African continent for the first time to play a charity match in Cape Town. The two stars had to compete in front of a record number of spectators, with 48,000 fans expected in the stands. The meeting of a lifetime for some tennis enthusiasts, who will probably no longer have the chance to see the two champions on African soil. But nationwide, this "Match in Africa" ​​looks quirky: a colossal event in a nation largely indifferent to the sport, which has long been the preserve of the white elite.

"The problem is obviously financial", recognizes the president of the federation, Richard Glover. Tennis is a sport whose practice is expensive, very expensive even, compared to the standard of living in South Africa, where more than one in two people lives below the poverty line. "Our main challenge is not to create the next big star in South African tenniscontinues Richard Glover. The priority is to set out to reconquer townships, forgotten communities. "

The operation has already started in the largest and most emblematic of the townships: Soweto, where there are only about twenty usable grounds for 2 million inhabitants. This is where the Rising Star tournament, which brought together 700 schools and clubs across the country, took place from Friday, January 31 to Sunday, February 2. And five provincial development centers have been created in the country, including the Arthur-Ashe center in Soweto, named after the famous African-American tennis player. Arthur Ashe was known for his commitment against the apartheid regime; he had met the township children on the sidelines of a tournament in 1973 and was in correspondence with Winnie Mandela.

"Football has crushed everything"

At the Arthur-Ashe center, the courts are in perfect condition, the lines are well defined and the nets are brand new. The conditions are optimal "And everything is free for the young people of Soweto", said Thabo Mathlala, one of the coaches. Snowshoes, shoes, balls, clothing, registration fees, transportation … Without that, "My family could never have afforded to join tennis", says 12-year-old Mohang. His parents, both unemployed, rather thought of sending him to play football, like the others. Mohang decided otherwise, and here he is today in the final of the national junior tournament. On central court in Soweto, he hits the ball with two of his idols, Kevin Anderson and Lloyd Harris: the two South African members of the world top 100 took advantage of the Rising Star tournament to come and play an exhibition match in front of the public of the township – a first for both players.

Lloyd Harris, 22 and 85^e world player, is a star in the making. Unlike his older brother, he trained and continues to train in Cape Town, South Africa. "I was much luckier than all these children, he admits. When I was 10, my parents sent me twice a year to play tournaments in Europe to compete against the best. " A windfall beyond financial reach for most blacks. Before being a coach, Thabo Mathlala had to be resourceful. Originally from Soweto, he was to "Borrow money to make the hour-long trip to the white neighborhoods" where the tennis courts were.

Thabo Mathlala believes that tennis is on the right track in South Africa. In the old days, "We were staunch supporters here", he reminds. An observation shared by sports journalist Khotso Sello: "Before football crushed everything, boxing and tennis were very popular. The infrastructure was public and better maintained than today. " But gradually, the tennis courts became "Dilapidated or vandalized", he concludes, depriving residents of working-class neighborhoods of places to practice. Now, if the yellow ball has not yet conquered the crowds, diversity is beginning to regain ground. "Ten years ago, there were 90% of young white players, says Richard Glover. Today, we are close to a ratio of 60% whites and 40% blacks. "