Beach Tennis is heading back to the Garden Route this December for the second edition of the KIA Summer Slam Beach Tennis Tour, with tournament organisers expecting 2019 to be even bigger and better than last year’s inaugural tournament.

So far confirmed to enter are a host of some of the top beach tennis stars, including defending champions Alessandro Calbucci (Men’s world number 1) and Michele Cappelletti (Men’s world number 2).

Russian world number 4 Nikita Burmakin and Italian world number 5 Tommaso Giovannini will also be making the trip to South Africa to attend.
With many more of the world’s top 50 ranked players set to compete alongside a healthy contingent of home-grown talent,

South African fans are in for a spectacular showcase of the best beach tennis has to offer.
Home support is likely to rally around local stars (Men) Michael de Jongh, Ryan Brookshaw, Jody Claassen, (Women) Helga Jeske, Lynn Kiro and Kyla Yelverton, who will be looking to make a name for themselves on home turf after representing South Africa at the recent World Team Championship in Moscow and finishing in a respectable 15th place.

“KIA Motors is delighted to once again be a partner to Tennis South Africa for the second KIA Summer Slam Beach Tennis Tour,” says Christo Valentyn, Acting GM: Marketing, KIA Motors South Africa. “Beach Tennis has shown significant growth in South Africa over the past year thanks to its fun, accessible format. Our local players are up there with the best in the world, and we look forward to seeing our local talent engaging with top global talent.”

At the heart of the action are the men’s and women’s draw of the ITF $35,000 tournament which is one of the six largest prize money events on the tour.

In the two weeks preceding the $35,000 event in Plettenberg Bay, two more prize money events will be held in the Eastern Cape, starting with the ITF $3,000 at Kings Beach in Port Elizabeth from 6 to 8 December, and the ITF $3,000 at Cape St Francis from 10 to 12 December. From 14 to17 December,

Central Beach in Plettenberg Bay will play host to another ITF $3,000 event as a warm-up tournament to the $35,000 event.
The four events which make up the KIA Summer Slam Beach Tennis Tour will all be ITF ranking tournaments. The event – driven by the all-new KIA Seltos – will also see KIA’s latest new compact SUV on display at all events on the circuit.

The KIA Summer Slam Beach Tennis Tour will take place as follows:
6 to 8 December – Port Elizabeth (Kings Beach) $3,000

10 to 12 December – Cape St Francis (Cape St. Francs Resort) and St. Francis (Quayside Restaurant) $3,000

14 to 17 December – Plettenberg Bay (Central Beach) $,3000

18 to 21 December – Plettenberg Bay (Central Beach) $35,000

Photo caption:
2018 KIA Summer Slam champions.jpg – Reigning ITF World Champions and world number 1 team Alessandro Calbucci (ITA) and Michele Cappelletti (ITA) will return to South Africa this December to defend their title at the KIA Summer Slam Beach Tennis event. From L-R: Alessandro Calbucci (ITA) and Michele Cappelletti (ITA).
Picture credit: Tennis South Africa