The two-time Australian Open champion will spend time with his son Kristian as he prepares for the upcoming ITF J30 tournaments in Stellenbosch.
Pretoria, South Africa (13 September 2026) – South African tennis legend Johan Kriek is set to return to Pretoria in November, bringing decades of international experience back to the local tennis scene.
Kriek will spend time in the capital with his son, Kristian Kriek, as the younger player prepares for the upcoming ITF J30 tournaments in Stellenbosch. It is a special connection for South African tennis, with one of the country’s most successful players now supporting the next generation of the sport through his son.
For those who may not know the name, Johan Kriek’s career is packed with some serious achievements. Born in Pongola, he became a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, winning the Australian Open in 1981 and 1982.
He climbed as high as seventh in the world rankings, won 14 ATP singles titles and eight doubles titles, and reached at least the quarterfinal stage at all four Grand Slam tournaments during his career.
His record also includes a French Open semifinal, a US Open semifinal and two Wimbledon quarterfinal appearances. Along the way, he faced many of the biggest names in tennis and established himself as one of the world’s leading players.
Now, years after competing on some of the sport’s biggest stages, Kriek will have the opportunity to share some of that experience with a new generation of players in Pretoria.
His return is expected to bring plenty of valuable insight, from lessons picked up during his professional career to the kind of knowledge that can only come from competing at the highest level.
For Kristian, meanwhile, the visit comes at an important stage of his own development as he prepares for the ITF J30 tournaments in Stellenbosch. Having his father, a former world No. 7 and Grand Slam champion, around during that preparation certainly adds a unique perspective.
It is a reminder that tennis can connect generations as much as it connects players across the world.
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Johan and Kristian Kriek are expected in Pretoria in November as they prepare for the next chapter of Kristian’s tennis career.
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