Rowena was a member of the KZN Squad, the S.A. junior squad and was a top S.A.and KZN provincial junior and senior player.

Ranked in the Top 42 in the world on the WTA Women’s Singles Ranking List, played in several Grand Slam Events from 1974 –1976 including Wimbledon, US Open, French Open.

Rowena played on Centre Court at Wimbledon against two of the greatest tennis players of all time - Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova with Alison McDade and won the Chichester Women’s Doubles Title 1974, reached the 3rd round of Wimbledon Singles in 1975.

Reached Wimbledon mixed doubles quarter finals with John Yuill in 1975 and has won many S.A. and international doubles and mixed doubles titles.

Based in Durban, KZN, Rowena started coaching tennis at 23 years of age after playing international tennis for 3 years, she has been a pro coach for 40 years and is the director of Pro -Tennis Academy, KZN and has been the SA Women's Fed Cup Captain 2004-2008, SA Junior World Cup Coach for several years, an SA. tennis team selector 1994 - 2019, nominated for the S.A. National Coaches Achiever Award (all sports)



More about Rowena Sanders and her tennis background:

PERSONAL PLAYING CAREER

National Achievements

A member of the KZN Junior Squad for many years

A member of the S.A. Junior B.P. Squad

Was a top S.A. and KZN Inter Pro Junior and Senior Player for many years.

Doubles National Champions with Alison McDade

Played Internationally 1974-1976

TENNIS ACHIEVEMENTS

Was ranked in the Top 42 in the World on the Women’s WTA singles ranking list.

Played in all 3 of the Grand Slam Events from 1974 –1976

Played on Centre Court at Wimbledon against two of the greatest players of all time -

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova with Alison Mc Dade

Won the Chichester Women’s Title in 1974

Reached third round Wimbledon in 1975.

Reached Wimbledon mixed doubles quarter finals with John Yuill in 1975

Played many other international tournaments in Europe, USA and England from 1974 -

1976.

Won many SA and international doubles and mixed doubles titles locally and

internationally.

PERSONAL COACHING CAREER

Based in Durban, KZN

Started coaching at 23 years old after playing international tennis for 4 years

Been a Pro coach for 46 years

A Director of my own business Pro -Tennis Academy KZN

ACHIEVEMENTS AS A TENNIS COACH

Highest Accolade .. the S.A. Women’s Fed Cup coach for 5 years 2004-2008.

Was the SA Coach/Captain on various International Tours for SA Tennis from 1994-2008 ..

all age groups

Coached many players who played Internationally and for SA.

Currently coach many top players in KZN.

Travel to Super 8 events throughout SA.

Been a S.A. Selector between 1994-2019.

Was nominated for the S.A. National Coaches Achiever Award (all sports)

Been a KZN Elite Squad Coach for 35 years.

Been a S.A. Junior International Touring Coach since 1994 for :

World Youth Cup: Japan x3 Czech Rep x2 Switzerland x1 Canada x1

Young Stars Tour Europe

African Junior Championships Pretoria

England, Birmingham

France, Les Petit As Tour

Australian ITF Tour

Australia .. Junior Hopman Cup Team

Orange Bowl, USA

Australian Open

Wimbledon

Belguim u16 Tour

Woman’s Satellite Tour Australia and England

Junior ITF Circuit Europe .. 6 week Tour

Travelled to Malaysia with Damon Kesaris for the ITF Events 2015.

BEST HIGHLIGHTS

Wes Moodie winning Wimbledon Doubles

Natalie Grandin winning a WTA Women’s Doubles Event … and attaining a World Doubles

Ranking top 35

S.A. Fed Cup Coach

2016 Damon Kesaris reaching a world ranking of 85 in ITF under 18 division and being chosen for the 2017 NCAA Champs as the Freshman of the Year at his USA University.

Paige Wise and Thembo Makhanya both being chosen as Players of the Year in the Carolina Conference at USA Universities 2022.

Names of my Top National/ International Tennis Achievers

Wes Moodie

USA Scholarship Player

Wimbledon Doubles Winner

Represented SA at Davis Cup No. 1 player

Damon Kesaris

SA No 1 under 16/18. SA Nationals winner 2016.

Represented SA several times and played in the Junior Davis Cup Team.

No 85 in the world on the ITF Ranking in 2016.

At College in the USA and was nominated Freshman of the Year in the Conference for 2017.

Thembo Makhanya

SA Schools Captain 2016.

SA Schools No 1 in 2016 and SA Schools No 2 in 2017.

USA Scholarship 2018.

USA Player of the Year in the Carolina Conference 2022.

Christiaan Coetzee

Nationals Singles Champion and SA No 1 in U12, U14, U16, U18.

USA Scholarship player.

Natalie Grandin

Represented SA at Fed Cup several times and was ranked in the top 35 on the WTA

doubles ranking list.

Nicole Rencken

An international tour player and S.A. Fed Cup Player

Michelle Sammons

S.A. Fed Cup and International Player.

USA Scholarship Player

David North

Top SA No 2 .. U12, U14, U16, U18 .. competed often with Kevin Anderson as a junior.

Top USA Scholarship player

Tarryn Terblanche

No 1 in SA U12, U14, U16 U18 won several National Titles

Played Internationally for SA several times.

Paige Wise

USA Scholarship Player 2021.

USA Player of the Year in the Carolina Conference 2022.

Anna Wise

No 1 SA Junior U 14 Player

Represented SA several times and played for SA in African Champs

Currently playing Internationally

Ben Wilson

Top 10 U12 SA player

Won several Super 8 events

South African /KZN Tennis Association Duties:

A member of the TSA Task Force Team for Women’s High Performance.

A TSA National Selector.

Assisted in selection of the new SA Fed Cup Coach for the Women.

A member of the panel to select SA Touring Coaches.

Committee member and Secretary of KZNTCA since 2014.

Organized Workshops for KZNTCA since 2016.

KZN Tennis Camp Organizer since 2015.

Director of the Grand Slam Tennis Series since 2015.

SA Fed Cup Coach

Recent Courses attended:

Attended several International Coaching Conferences

CAT International Course in Pretoria 2010

The Mind Set Course with Jackie Reardon 2011.

Coaches Workshop Durban 2014-2022.

TSA High Performance Workshop 2018

Play Tennis Update Course 2018.

ITF Level 1 Update Course 2018

Child Protection Course 2018.

First Aid Course Feb 2019.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

Was a member of the:

S.A. Junior Badminton Team U15

Natal Womens’ Indoor Hockey Team

Natal Mynahs Womens’ Hockey Team.

Golf Member Handicap 15 ... DCC Durban.