Van Schalkwyk claims doubles silver in Maputo
Namibia’s Mari van Schalkwyk secured a silver medal in the girls’ doubles at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) U18 World Junior Tour in Maputo, Mozambique, on Sunday.
Partnered with South Africa’s Courtney Kemp, Van Schalkwyk progressed through the draw unbeaten to reach the final of the J30 Maputo tournament.
However, they came up short against Zimbabwe’s Simphiwe Malunguza and Britain’s Charlotte Perks, who claimed the title with a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
Speaking about her experience at the tournament, Van Schalkwyk said she is pleased with her performance and grateful for the opportunity to represent Namibia.
“It was a wonderful experience to play against strong opponents and to test my abilities at this level of competition. Each match provided valuable lessons, and I believe the tournament has helped me grow both as a player and as a person,” she said.
‘Motivated to keep improving’
Winning the silver medal in doubles is a moment she is particularly proud of, noting that she and her partner, Kemp, worked hard throughout the tournament, supported each other, and gave their best in every match.
“Although we aimed for the gold, I am happy with what we achieved and motivated to keep improving. [I hope to do] better in the second tournament starting tomorrow,” she added.
Van Schalkwyk also expressed gratitude to her coaches, family, and supporters, saying their encouragement inspired her to train with dedication and focus as she pursues her goals.
Van Schalkwyk and Kemp launched their campaign on Friday with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win over Mozambique’s Siena Figueiredo and Italy’s Venus Turrà.
Later that day, they returned to court for their quarter-final, defeating Angola’s Justino Rodrigues and Italy’s Ivo Sampayo 6-2, 7-5 to book their place in the semi-finals.
In Saturday’s semi-final, they faced a stern test against Canada’s Alexie Duclair and South Africa’s Kaylin Kroon. After winning the opening set 6-2, they dropped the second 4-6, but held their nerve in the deciding match tie-break to prevail 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 and advance to the final.
In the singles event, Van Schalkwyk exited in the group stage after suffering one defeat, missing out on a quarter-final berth.
Bezuidenhout, Dowie reach semi-finals
Other Namibian players at the tournament also impressed. Israel Dowie reached the boys’ singles semi-finals, while Joanivia Bezuidenhout advanced to the girls’ doubles semi-finals alongside South Africa’s Tatum Venter.
Dowie and his South African partner, Tshepang Malsela, exited in the quarter-finals of the doubles event. Bezuidenhout’s singles campaign ended in the group stage after suffering one defeat.
The second J30 Maputo tournament gets underway today and runs until Sunday, with the Namibians aiming to build on their momentum and contend for silverware once more.
In the singles competition, Van Schalkwyk is scheduled to face Thais [surname not yet confirmed by ITF] from Mozambique. Bezuidenhout will take on Malunguza of Zimbabwe, while Israel Dowie is set to meet Joao Deus of Portugal in his opening match.
