Kgothatso Montjane reflects on ‘bittersweet’ 2023

“A bittersweet one, but there’s a lot of positive stuff to embrace,” she told SABC Sport. 

"I'm just riding on that wave, trying to take it in and use it as motivation for the next year. Just grateful for the year, that I've had, to be honest,” she continued. 

The positive aspects include not one, but two Grand Slam titles.

In June, Montjane won the women’s wheelchair doubles at Roland Garros with her Japanese partner Yui Kamiji, before the duo were crowned champions of the US Open just three months later.

For the Limpopo-born player, however, not even these successes can mask the disappointments of solo tennis. 

"My results [in singles] are not necessarily where I wanted them to be. I know I won big titles in doubles, but in singles, which is always my main focus I feel like I didn't do well. Didn't do enough. That's why it's a bittersweet one" 

In 2021, “KG” became the first black woman from South Africa to reach the Wimbledon singles final before finishing runner-up to Diede de Groot of the Netherlands.

Montjane hoped to emulate the All England club result in other major tournaments, but once again finished in the last four in both the Australian and the French Open. 

The 37-year-old can be forgiven though, as she has been dealing with a knee issue for the majority of the year.   

"Coming from an injury in the last year going into this year, I thought since I'm pain-free things will be a little different. So, the most important thing in the next year is just to channel this positive mentality into these singles, and keep fighting just to get to the top." 

READ: Kgothatso Montjane wants to bow out on a high in her last Paralympic Games