Pietie Norval, a self-proclaimed optimist, says youngsters involved in tennis in South Africa are as talented as anywhere in the world — but the problem comes when they turn 15.
The newly appointed South African Davis Cup captain — whose team was lying level 1-1 with Nigeria after the first two single matches at Groenkloof on Saturday — believes two ingredients that developed a string of local stars into world-class players in years gone by are absent today.
One is the number of tournaments on home soil and the other the super squad where promising youngsters were exposed to life on tour abroad. “We had a lot more entry level pro tournaments in South Africa for men and women … your futures, there used to be nine Challengers and then we had one of the biggest ATP Tour events in the South African Open.
“You could earn your ATP, WTA points easily in your own country without it having to cost too much,” said Norval, who landed the Olympic doubles silver with Wayne Ferreira at Barcelona 1992, and also won the 1999 French Open mixed doubles title.
The 54-year-old was also part of the old super squad, along with the likes of Ferreira and Marcos Ondruska, his old Davis Cup comrades. “That’s why a lot of those guys had good careers … there were like 10 [South Africans] in the top 100 in the world. It was amazing.”
When South Africa returned to the Davis Cup after apartheid, they had to start at the bottom and work their way into the main World Group.
South Africa needs to win one more match today to secure a play-off to get into World Group I.
Norval — who spends time between Cape Town and the Highveld, working at his academies in Durbanville, Pecanwood and Rustenburg — is impressed by the abilities of the country’s younger players. “There’s nothing wrong with the junior structure, very good. Enough tournaments and enough ITF tournaments.
“Your juniors are pretty much sorted out until [they get] to the age of about 15. Then the problems start. At 15 you need exposure beyond our borders in order to be internationally competitive.”
After that, players either win scholarships to US universities or fade away.
Henning, the top-ranked player at 326th in the world, studied computer at the University of Georgia before basing himself in Stellenbosch.
The 24-year-old says he is the only one in his age group still playing.
He spent about 30 weeks of 2024 competing abroad, winning seven futures tournaments in total. “I’m covering my own expenses at the moment ... there’s no sponsor. I buy my own tennis rackets,” said Henning, adding he’s considering doing software development as a side hustle.
Norval said a player needed to be ranked in the 300s to be self-sufficient. He believes Henning now needs to try work his way up, getting into Challenger Tour events before getting into the main ATP Tour.
At 300 or better, Challenger Tour events will be easier to come by. “If he can get to 230 he starts getting into the qualifiers of the Grand Slams.”
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