EXCLUSIVE | John-Laffnie de Jager reveals plans to revolutionise African tennis
· The South African
A year after its London debut, plans for Africa’s most ambitious tennis development project are gathering pace.
Exactly one year and two days ago, leading figures in African and South African tennis gathered just metres from the All England Lawn Tennis Club to launch a not‑for‑profit fundraising initiative aimed at transforming the sport across the continent.
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Current players such as Connor Doig joined icons including Craig Tiley, Christo van Rensburg, Ilana Kloss, Cara Black and former Davis Cup captain John-Laffnie de Jager.
Provided an update
On Thursday, John-Laffnie de Jager – a former Wimbledon doubles semi‑finalist and member of the tournament’s prestigious Last 8 Club – met with The South African at SW19 to provide an update on the Stellenbosch Racquet Centre (SRC), the exciting project at the heart of the initiative.
The SRC is a collaboration between Stellenbosch University, the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport and the town of Stellenbosch.
De Jager was the first to be brought on board by the business leaders, to form the not-for-profit initiative.
It was De Jager who then encouraged former tennis powerhouses Craig Tiley, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss on board.
The vision dates back nearly a decade, when the university identified the need for a major indoor facility to counter Cape Town’s weather‑related training limitations.
It is no wonder that Stellenbosch took De Jager on board.
His own resume is impressive, having reached the Wimbledon doubles semi-finals in 2000, and the mixed doubles quarter-finals in 1997 and 2000.
A former Davis Cup captain has also coached the likes of Ajla Tomljanovic, Kevin Anderson, and Heather Watson amongst others.
Lack of domestic tournaments
The main purpose of the SRC is to aim to solve what John-Laffnie de Jager calls South Africa’s biggest barrier to player development: the lack of domestic tournaments.
He points to Italy’s tennis boom as the model.
“They kept more events in their own country,” he said.
“You stay in your backyard, you beat your own people before you can leave the country. That’s why it’s so good. We don’t have events.” Italy’s investment in domestic tournaments means that players can earn crucial ranking points without having to travel out of their country.
“At every level, they (the Italian Tennis Federation) have a tournament, right up to Masters 1000 level. The only thing they don’t have is a Grand Slam, but they have every other level within the country.”
Mirror Italy’s model
The SRC would change that.
Alongside indoor courts, the facility will include ATP, WTA and ITF‑compliant stadium courts to host international tournaments from junior events, challengers to even Masters 500 + mirroring Italy’s model.
As Craig Tiley said at the launch: “This is more than a tennis centre – it’s a launchpad for African excellence. The next African champion will come from here.”
The centre will be designed to operate as both a high‑performance academy and a community hub, with more than 80 000 annual visitors expected.
It will offer inclusive programmes, accommodation for players, and world‑class training opportunities for player of all abilities, giving African athletes studying in the US a compelling reason to return home during breaks.
John-Laffnie de Jager speaks passionately about the project’s mission and the people behind it.
“I met Ilana and Billie when I was 18,” he said, “and now Craig, Ilana, Billie and myself are doing Stellenbosch together. It’s amazing.”
The project requires $20 million in private funding.
“We’re at about $2 million now,” De Jager said.
“Raising money takes time, but we’ll get there.”
Even with immediate funding, construction would not be completed before 2028.
Legacy project
“It’s a big project,” he said.
For De Jager, the SRC is a legacy project.
“It’s not my project. It’s the project for Africa,” he said.
“I want every South African or African player who ever played to get involved.”
De Jager believes Craig Tiley’s move to the United States (to start his new role as CEO of the United States Tennis Association) will accelerate progress.
“Being closer to Ilana and Billie will help massively,” (Kloss and King are based in New York).
Peak years of South African tennis
John-Laffnie de Jager speaks fondly of playing his part during the peak years of South African tennis, during his playing days in the 1990’s.
There was an abundance of South Africans in the main draw, compared to today.
“In 1999, there were 32 South Africans that played at Wimbledon. There were 17 guys on the top 100 in the world, and also doubles. We were five guys in the top 15 in the world, and doubles, and there was, I think there was five guys in the top, under in singles.
“We were nine guys that had a coach and a fitness trainer, that trained and travelled together. Of those nine guys, seven of us played five and more years in on the tour. That was in the 90s. And all of us were ranked, you know, most of us were ranked on the top 50 in the world. in singles or in dozens”.
The facility’s plan to host junior events, ITF tournaments and Challenger events mirrors how Italy’s tennis boom has developed.
“That’s the big idea,” he said.
The project is one that is inspired by champions and inspiring new champions and will produce elite players.
“We want to build something that lasts.”
Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively for The South African from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon