South African tennis trio set for Australian Open Junior main draw

South African tennis is celebrating a landmark moment as three junior stars—Jahnie Van Zyl, John Bothma, and Connor Doig—have secured their places in the main draw of the Australian Open Juniors.

This marks the first time in several years that South Africa has had multiple players qualify for a Junior Grand Slam main draw simultaneously.

The Path to the Main Draw

Sixteen-year-old Jahnie Van Zyl earned her spot the hard way, fighting through the qualifying rounds this week. The youngster from Potchefstroom, currently South Africa’s top-ranked junior girl, displayed immense composure in her final qualifying match against Japan’s Kokona Ishii, saving multiple break points to secure her victory.

In the boys’ singles, South Africa boasts two direct entries:

John Bothma (17): Ranked No. 33 in the world, Bothma enters as one of the tournament’s high seeds. He ended the 2025 season on a high note with titles in Cairo and Pretoria.

His direct entry status is a rare feat for South African juniors, typically requiring a top-50 global ranking.

Connor Doig (18): Doig’s consistent performance on the ITF Junior Circuit earned him his direct entry. A former 2023 South African junior national champion and current No. 2 in the national U18 rankings, Doig has captured three ITF junior singles titles and represented South Africa at the Junior Davis Cup.

The junior main draw officially commences this Saturday. Specific court assignments are expected to be released the evening prior.