UCT academic to represent SA at World Tennis Masters Championships

The University of Cape Town's (UCT) Dr Zamambo Mkhize has been selected to represent South Africa at the World Tennis Masters Tour World Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, where she will compete against some of the world's top Masters players in August 2026.

Dr Mkhize, a senior lecturer at UCT's African Gender Institute, has earned selection to compete in both the team event from 2 to 8 August, and the individual tournament from 10 to 15 August. Her selection follows a series of standout performances on the national circuit, including success at the South African National Masters Tournament, where her consistency, discipline and commitment to the sport saw her rise to number one in South Africa in the women's 40-and-over category in November 2025.

For Mkhize, the call-up marks a return to the international stage. She first represented South Africa as a 16-year-old junior after building an impressive tennis career in KwaZulu-Natal, where she regularly competed in and won interprovincial tournaments. She began playing tennis at the age of six and earned a full tennis scholarship to the University of Florida, where she completed her undergraduate studies while competing at the highest level of collegiate tennis.

She later received a Fulbright Scholarship to complete her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania, combining academic excellence with a lifelong passion for sport.

A meaningful milestone

Mkhize said representing South Africa again as an adult was a deeply meaningful milestone.

"Being selected to represent my country again as an adult is a full-circle life moment for me. I got to represent my country as a junior and again now as an adult in a prestigious World Championship Tennis Tournament. It is very special because it proves two things for me: one being that the first time I was selected was not a fluke, and the second being that this is a culmination of all my hard work and focus over the last two years."

"I look forward to playing highly competitive tennis on the international stage."

She added that the achievement holds even greater significance because 2026 marks several personal milestones. "This year is particularly special because it is 10 years since I completed my PhD, five years since my first book was published, and now I have the honour of representing South Africa again. Being the only African woman selected and working at the African Gender Institute at the UCT is an honour and a privilege. I feel very excited and humbled that my country has once again recognised me and selected me to represent them, and I look forward to playing highly competitive tennis on the international stage."

UCT support

Tennis South Africa Masters Tournament coordinator, Blessing Hlomane, congratulated Mkhize on her selection and commended UCT for supporting her in achieving this.

"We would also like to congratulate UCT on having such an amazing athlete as a member of staff. We sincerely appreciate the university's support in enabling her to pursue this prestigious opportunity while proudly representing both South Africa and UCT on the international stage.

"We congratulate Dr Mkhize on this well-deserved achievement and wish her every success at theWorld Tennis Masters Tour World Championships."

"Tennis South Africa is proud to have Dr Mkhize represent the country at the World Championships. We are confident that she will uphold the values of sportsmanship, professionalism and excellence while competing against some of the world's finest Masters players. We congratulate Dr Mkhize on this well-deserved achievement and wish her every success at the World Tennis Masters Tour World Championships."

As one of UCT's leading scholars in gender studies, Mkhize's selection highlights the powerful intersection of academic excellence and sporting achievement. Her participation on the world stage reflects not only her dedication to tennis, but also the university's commitment to supporting staff who excel beyond the classroom and contribute to South Africa's success internationally.

Mkhize has also been selected to represent Western Cape Province in the Masters Interprovincial in Gauteng from 9 to 13 September.