WeeklySA_AdminDEUCE: Senior lecturer Zamambo Mkhize will represent South Africa at the ITF World Tennis Masters Championships in Portugal, capping a remarkable journey that has combined academic excellence with elite sporting achievement…
By WSAM Sports Reporter
University of Cape Town (UCT) senior lecturer Dr Zamambo Mkhize will once again wear South Africa’s colours on the international tennis stage after being selected to compete at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Masters Tour World Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, next month.
Mkhize, a senior lecturer at UCT’s African Gender Institute, will compete in both the team competition from August 2 to 8 and the individual tournament from August 10 to 15 against some of the world’s leading Masters players.
Her selection follows an outstanding run on the national Masters circuit, culminating in her becoming South Africa’s top-ranked player in the women’s 40-and-over category in November 2025 after a string of impressive performances, including at the South African National Masters Tournament.
The achievement marks a return to international competition for Mkhize, who first represented South Africa as a 16-year-old junior after establishing herself as one of KwaZulu-Natal’s leading young tennis players. She began playing tennis at the age of six and later earned a full tennis scholarship to the University of Florida, where she balanced top-level collegiate tennis with her undergraduate studies.
Her academic journey continued with a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, which enabled her to complete a PhD at the University of Pennsylvania before embarking on a distinguished career in gender studies.
Reflecting on her latest national call-up, Mkhize described the selection as a deeply personal milestone.
“Being selected to represent my country again as an adult is a full-circle life moment for me. I got to represent my country as a junior and again now as an adult in a prestigious World Championship Tennis Tournament.
“It proves that the first time I was selected was not a fluke and that this is the culmination of all my hard work and focus over the last two years,” she said.
She added that the honour carried even greater significance as 2026 marks a decade since completing her doctorate and five years since publishing her first book.
“Being the only African woman selected and working at the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town is an honour and a privilege. I feel very excited and humbled that my country has once again recognised me and selected me to represent them.”
Tennis South Africa Masters Tournament Coordinator Blessing Hlomane congratulated Mkhize on her achievement and praised UCT for supporting her sporting ambitions.
“Tennis South Africa is proud to have Dr Mkhize represent the country at the World Championships. We are confident that she will uphold the values of sportsmanship, professionalism and excellence while competing against some of the world’s finest Masters players,” Hlomane said.
Beyond the tennis court, Mkhize’s achievement underscores the successful balance between academic distinction and elite sport. As one of UCT’s leading scholars in gender studies, her selection highlights the university’s commitment to supporting staff who excel in multiple fields while serving as ambassadors for South Africa on the global stage.
Her busy representative calendar will continue after the World Championships, with Mkhize also selected to represent the Western Cape at the Masters Interprovincial Tournament in Gauteng from September 9 to 13.
