Namibian tennis player and coach
Elizma Nortje (born 1 February 1966) is a Namibian tennis coach and former professional player.[1][2] She is the most successful Namibian woman to have played professionally and was the first to be ranked on the WTA Tour.[3][4]
Born in Windhoek in 1966, Nortje represented South Africa as a junior and early in her professional career, before Namibian independence.[5] She played collegiate tennis for United States International University in San Diego, competing in the NCAA Division I Championships.[6] In the early 1990s she made appearances in the doubles qualifying draws at Wimbledon and won two ITF doubles tournaments.[7]
Nortje served as president of the Namibian Tennis Association from 1996 to 1999 and was Namibia's team captain when the country made its Fed Cup debut in 2004. A certified ITF Level 3 coach, she is now the head tennis professional at the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in South Carolina.[8]
ITF finals
Singles: 1 (0–1)
Doubles: 11 (2–9)
Result
|
No.
|
Date
|
Tournament
|
Surface
|
Partner
|
Opponents
|
Score
|
Win
|
1.
|
28 April 1991
|
Bracknell, United Kingdom
|
Hard
|
Barbara Griffiths
|
Lynn Nabors Merete Balling-Stockmann
|
6–3, 6–2
|
Loss
|
1.
|
4 August 1991
|
Haifa, Israel
|
Hard
|
Janine Humphreys
|
Tessa Price Kirsten Dreyer
|
1–6, 0–6
|
Loss
|
2.
|
11 August 1991
|
Ramat HaSharon, Israel
|
Hard
|
Janine Humphreys
|
Ilana Berger Robyn Field
|
0–6, 1–6
|
Loss
|
3.
|
5 April 1992
|
Windhoek, Namibia
|
Hard
|
Louise Venter
|
Cindy Summers Nicole Simunic
|
6–3, 4–6, 3–6
|
Win
|
2.
|
12 April 1992
|
Gaborone, Botswana
|
Hard
|
Louise Venter
|
Liezel Horn Estelle Gevers
|
6–0, 6–7(2), 6–4
|
Loss
|
4.
|
19 July 1992
|
Frinton, United Kingdom
|
Grass
|
Robyn Mawdsley
|
Caroline Billingham Danielle Thomas
|
2–6, 6–4, 6–7
|
Loss
|
5.
|
6 February 1994
|
Tipton, United Kingdom
|
Hard
|
Paula Iversen
|
Alison Smith Sara Tse
|
6–4, 4–6, 4–6
|
Loss
|
6.
|
3 April 1994
|
Marsa, Malta
|
Clay
|
Ivana Havrlíková
|
Isabela Listowska Petra Winzenhöller
|
6–7(5), 3–6
|
Loss
|
7.
|
24 April 1994
|
Nottingham, United Kingdom
|
Hard
|
Caroline Stassen
|
Shannon Peters Nicole Oomens
|
5–7, 2–6
|
Loss
|
8.
|
30 October 1994
|
Negril, Jamaica
|
Hard
|
Ximena Rodríguez
|
Kim Grant Claire Sessions Bailey
|
2–6, 7–6(6), 3–6
|
Loss
|
9.
|
18 June 1995
|
Morelia, Mexico
|
Hard
|
Ximena Rodríguez
|
Tracey Hiete Renata Kolbovic
|
3–6, 5–7
|
References
External links