On Thursday, South African ladies’ wheelchair player Kgothatso Montjane gave Court 17 fans a masterful display of all the above, when faced with being a set down to Ksenia Chasteau.
Frenchwoman Chasteau was a wildcard entry, but has an impressive resume. Last month, she reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros. She also won the junior title at her home slam in 2024.
Having never played her before, these were unchartered waters for the world No 7, who struggled to find her rhythm in the first set before turning things around.
Playing aggressively
Within 29 minutes, Chasteau was up 5-1 in the opening set, dictating the pace, playing aggressively with body serves, eventually winning the set in 37 minutes.
After Montjane told Amisha Savani after the match, that she struggled with unforced errors, the timing of her serve toss and with the uneven surface at the back of Court 17.
Chasteau’s aggressiveness worked for a while, winning her the first set 6-3. But in winning 3 games, Montjane had also shown Chasteau that she was changing the momentum.
The South African star started serving more aggressively on her first serve, taking the pace off Chasteau, as encouraged courtside by her coach Ilana Kloss.
A former grand slam champion, Kloss brings much to Montjane’s game – with experience from winning Wimbledon, US Open and Roland Garros titles under her belt.
Slowly, the chinks in Chasteau’s armour started surfacing, as the unforced errors crept up.
Down 2-5 in the second set, Chasteau’s frustration was palpable in the changeover, when she threw her notebook into the court in dismay. The notes were no longer working, as Montjane was changing the narrative.
‘Adaptability’
Kloss’s encouraging courtside words: “first serve up and out” and “every point, every point” were sinking in, and working. As Billie Jean King once said, “champions adjust”. It was that adaptability that helped the four-slam winner turn the match around, and win (3-6, 6-3, 6-3).
There are two noteworthy reasons why Montjane’s progress thus far is so commendable.
Her arrival at this year’s Wimbledon was without grass court match practice. She skipped the Roehampton tournament, to rest a shoulder injury sustained at Roland Garros.
Particularly commendable are Montjane’s physical adaptations around her disability.
The South African star’s winning backhand cross-court returns with extra topspin, gives no indication that both hands have missing fingers. Gripping her wheelchair and racquet requires adaptations.
Montjane was born with amniotic band syndrome, a congenital disorder of her hands and foot. One foot was amputated when she was 12, and parts of some fingers in both hands are missing due to a wrapping of the umbilical cord around her finger at birth.
Montjane’s right index finger for example, is heavily taped up. Her racquet grip has also been shaved with a groove to allow her to grip it.
Kgothatso Montjane’s inspiration knows no bounds. Every day, she continues to show us how important it is to adapt to every day, and every situation.
Kgothatso Montjane faces world No 4 Ziying Wang of China in the ladies wheelchair singles semi-final on Court 15 on Friday.
Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon.
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