Dr Zamambo Mkhize.
A senior lecturer at the University of Cape Town’s African Gender Institute has been selected to represent South Africa at the International Tennis Federation World Tennis Masters Tour World Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2026.
Dr Zamambo Mkhize, who rose to the number one spot in South Africa in the women’s 40-and-over category in November 2025, will compete against many of the globe's finest Masters players in both the team event from 2 to 8 August and the individual tournament from 10 to 15 August.
For Dr Mkhize, the national call-up marks a triumphant return to the international arena. Having taken up tennis at the age of six, she previously represented South Africa as a 16-year-old junior following an impressive run of interprovincial tournament victories in KwaZulu-Natal. She later earned a full tennis scholarship to the University of Florida, competing at the highest level of collegiate tennis while earning her undergraduate degree, before securing a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to complete her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania.
Reflecting on her selection, Dr Mkhize described her selection as a deeply meaningful milestone. "Being selected to represent my country again as an adult is a full-circle life moment for me," she said.
