KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna tennis prodigy Zoran Meyer was crowned South Africa's U12 champion last week after an exceptional double gold performance at the country's top junior tournaments in Bloemfontein.
The Bloemfontein tournament is regarded as one of the most competitive events on the junior calendar, bringing together top players from all provinces, including strong contenders from Gauteng.
The young champ made a masterful statement across both the Free State Amex Super 8 and the 2026 American Express SA Junior National Championships, competing over 10 days against the best players from across the country.
Entering both events as the number one seed and currently ranked number one in South Africa in both U12 singles and doubles, Zoran lived up to his billing with an exhibition of rampant stroke-play.
He made light work of the Super 8 tournament, not losing a set and winning the final 6-0, 6-0. He carried that form into the national championships where he again overpowered the competition.
During this run he did not concede more than three games in any match, claiming a 6-0, 6-2 semi-final win before sealing the title with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in the final.
Gold in doubles
His singles success was matched in the doubles event, where he partnered with Cape Town's Jadon Holdsworth. The pair, who only began playing together in January this year, proved to be a formidable combination.
The doubles final delivered a gripping contest as Zoran and Jadon edged the first set 7-5, before unexpectedly dropping the second 0-6. This set the table for a dramatic tiebreak with neither pair willing to bend the knee as Zoran and co held their nerve to secure a 16-14 victory.
A clever drop shot from Jadon created the crucial advantage, before Zoran sealed the win with a powerful down-the-line backhand winner.
It is also worth noting that they were the only top-seeded boys pair across all age groups to claim the doubles title.
Parents ecstatic
According to his mother, Saskia Meyer, her son's powerful and precise first serve, a dominant forehand and an ability to produce explosive and creative shots are key to his success.
"Winning the mental battles on court has also been important, especially in high-pressure moments where his focus and determination made the difference. What is also useful is that he follows a broad-based training programme which helps him to prepare for different scenarios in matches. All in all, I have to say that his focus, mindset and love for the game are central to his success. Over the years he has put in a lot of hard work, juggling it with school, and as a family, we could not be prouder of his effort and achievement," she said.
Valuable ranking points
By securing both singles and doubles titles, Zoran reinforced his position as South Africa's top-ranked U12 player. He also earned himself free entries into some of the upcoming Tennis South-Africa (TSA) tournaments.
Despite being number one, his mother says, Zoran remains grounded. "He believes each match requires full focus and respect for his opponent's abilities. With ambitions of one day competing on the international stage, Zoran draws inspiration from current top professional tennis stars such as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz."
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