Kgothatso Montjane 5th best wheelchair tennis player in world shares her story

• Kgothatso Montjane says she is happy to be back competing after the Covid lockdown

• The 35-year-old is one of the best wheelchair tennis players in the world

Wimbledon 2021 is around the corner and Pippa chats to one of South Africa's best female tennis players, who will not only be participating at Wimbledon but will also be representing South Africa at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in a few months' time.

35-year-old Kgothatso Montjane is one of the most successful wheelchair tennis players in the world, currently ranked 5th in the world.

Born in Seshego, outside Polokwane, Limpopo with a congenital disorder that affected both her hands and feet, her foot being amputated by the age of 12.

Despite her challenges, Kgothatso's managed to defy the odds, to compete at the highest level ranked No. 1 in South Africa in 2017, and two years later she topped the Africa rankings.

She says her trainer send her training plans to work on at home during lockdown.

The issue is not just physical fitness but also the impact of lockdown on the psychological state of mind.

I'm just happy to be back out here healthy and fit and competing again.

Kgothatso Montjane, Wheelchair tennis player

She describes to Pippa her amazing story of how she became involved in wheelchair tennis at the age of 19.

I never thought when I picked up a racket at the age of 19 that I would play in some of the biggest tournaments in the world.

Kgothatso Montjane, Wheelchair tennis player