South African wheelchair tennis player Kgothatso Montjane in action File. South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane won her second major title on Saturday, with victory by default in the US Open women’s wheelchair doubles final. Picture Credit: Reg Caldecott
South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane alongside Japan’s Yui Kamiji won the women’s wheelchair doubles title at the US Open, in New York, on Saturday.
Montjane and Kamiji won the final without playing any tennis. Their opponent Jiske Griffieon was forced to withdraw due to injury, leaving her partner Diede de Groot stranded and forced the Dutch pair to concede the title.
The result caps a spectacular year for the 37-year-old Montjane and Kamiji after they also won the French Open women’s doubles title, as she can now call herself a double Grand Slam champion.
The win in the French Open was the fifth time lucky for Montjane, who by that time had four runners-up Grand Slam doubles medals.
Yui Kamiji & Kgothatso Montjane claim the wheelchair women's doubles title! 🏆 @DeloitteUS | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/d9nXJOnQvA
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2023
SA minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa led the congratulatory messages: “A huge well done to Kgothatso Montjane for winning the #SOpen women’s wheelchair doubles. Our tennis ace is now a double Grand Slam champion, after winning the French Open title for the same event this year. You have made the country proud once again!”
Tennis South Africa said: “Huge congratulations to our superstar! She's now a two-time Grand Slam champion! Well deserved!!”
Meanwhile, SA’s Donald Ramphadi with British partner Andy Lapthorne lost in the final to Dutch top seeds Sam Schroder and Niels Vink.
Later in the day, Coco Gauff beat Aryna Sabalenka to win the women’s singles title. The 19-year-old Gauff hailed the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, as her inspiration.
On Sunday, the US Open concludes with Novak Djokovic up against Daniil Medvedev in the men’s final.