Rivonia Tennis Club member looks back on his sporting career
A local has been playing tennis at the Rivonia Recreation Club in Paulshof since he was eight years old.
Tennis club member Duncan Horne had made his name in tennis when he was called up to the club’s junior tennis first team. “I developed a love for the sport from a very young age watching the Wimbledon final with Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe,” he recalls.
“When I saw this match, I immediately ran outside and started hitting the tennis ball against the wall in the garage and in the backyard. From there I started playing tennis whenever and wherever I could.”
While on the club’s junior tennis team, he progressed to high school, where he made the first team in 9th through 12th grade.
Horne competed in the ITF Tennis Masters World Championship in Portugal last year. He competed in both team and individual competitions. The player represented the country when he was 17 at the World ATP Doubles Men’s Open Invitational. “It was really difficult for me because I didn’t have any sponsorship and/or the financial means to go,” he said.
“My wife Claudia Gesualdi-Horne organized a fundraiser for me so that we could raise the money for the trip. I would not have had the opportunity to go there without the fundraiser and the amazing generosity of some people. I feel honored by this and the helpfulness of the people.”
Locally, Horne reached the final of the national tennis tournament organized by Tennis South Africa in Pretoria. He reached the mixed doubles final where they narrowly lost. Next up is the Gauteng North tournament.
He also enjoys playing padel tennis. Playing with his doubles partner in a padel tournament, he reached the final round of 16 matches where they lost to world No. 10. He also studied Shaolin martial arts for almost 11 years.
The tennis player also trains in the sport, which has recently become a passion for him. “I would like to try to host tennis tournaments and clinics for young tennis players from South Africa. There is incredible talent in this country that just needs to be discovered and properly developed,” he said of his goals.
“Another goal would be to represent South Africa again in another world team competition in the coming years.”
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