EXCLUSIVE | The story that still makes tennis commentator Robbie Koen…

The people, passions, and memories that have shaped one of tennis’s most beloved commentators.

After decades in professional tennis – as a player, commentator, and broadcaster – Robbie Koenig has accumulated countless stories. forumteam.blog

Some involve Grand Slam champions, while others feature legendary administrators and famous rivals.

But when the conversation turns to old friends, the laughter comes easily.

And no friend seems to provide more material than former doubles partner John-Laffnie de Jager, known simply throughout tennis circles as “JL.”

The Adelaide Story That Never Gets Old

Robbie Koenig and De Jager formed a successful doubles partnership during the late 1990s, sharing victories, setbacks, and countless hours on the road together.

Their friendship has endured long after their playing careers ended, built on a relationship where honesty was always part of the deal.

“We’ve always been straight with each other.”

That honesty was on full display at the start of the 1998 season.

The pair had ended 1997 on a high after reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open from qualifying.

Following the season-ending events, they headed home for the off-season before agreeing to meet again in Adelaide for the start of the new year.

When Koenig arrived and saw De Jager for the first time, he could hardly believe his eyes.

“No lies, he must have put on 15 pounds.”

The South African winter – and apparently plenty of farm cooking back home in Ermelo – had done its work.

Koenig remembers staring in disbelief.

“It was like, ‘This is not the same guy that I finished the season with.'”

The timing made the situation even funnier.

The pair had arrived early in Adelaide but failed to gain entry into qualifying, leaving them with roughly 10 days of uninterrupted training before competition began.

Koenig had already completed his pre-season preparation.

Now he found himself doing another mini pre-season alongside his partner.

“We basically spent 10 days training.”

The good news for De Jager?

Much of the extra weight quickly disappeared.

“He probably lost half of that in 10 days.”

Nearly three decades later, Koenig still laughs when telling the story.

His closing verdict remains simple:

“Get in shape, Fool!”

Why Their Friendship Endured

The Adelaide story reflects something deeper about the friendship between the two South Africans.

Neither was afraid to tell the other exactly what they thought.

If one was out of line, the other would say so.

That mutual honesty created trust and respect that lasted well beyond their playing careers.

According to Robbie Koenig, it is one of the main reasons they’ve remained such close friends.

Not even JL’s reputation as a practical joker could undermine that bond.

“He was a big prankster.”

Fortunately for Koenig, he claims he usually saw the tricks coming.

“The Durbanite was too quick for that Ermelo farmer boy.”

Life Beyond Tennis

Away from commentary boxes and tennis courts, Koenig’s greatest passions are surprisingly simple.

Fly fishing. And golf.

If forced to choose between them?

“Fly fishing just clips it. Fifty-one percent to forty-nine.”

The attraction isn’t necessarily about catching fish. It’s about the places fishing takes him.

“It takes me to the most beautiful places in the world.”

Growing up in South Africa instilled a lifelong love of wildlife, nature, and the outdoors. Fishing allows him to reconnect with that environment while escaping the constant pace of professional sport.

One location stands above all others.

A small fishing town called Last Chance in Idaho.

“If I lived in the States, that would do me just fine.”

Golf, Competition, and One Perfect Shot

Golf satisfies a different need.

Like many former professional athletes, Robbie Koenig still enjoys competing.

His current handicap sits around five, an impressive number for someone whose primary sporting career was spent wielding a tennis racquet rather than a golf club.

Among the many courses he has played, two stand out.

Kingston Heath in Melbourne is his favourite layout. Jack’s Point in Queenstown, New Zealand, is the most scenic.

But perhaps his favourite golfing memory came at Australia’s National Golf Club.

There, on the course’s signature par-three hole, Koenig recorded the only hole-in-one of his life.

Watching the ball bounce, turn and disappear into the cup remains one of the most surreal experiences he has ever had on a golf course.

“When it disappears, it’s the most surreal feeling you’ve ever had.”

A Legacy Built on Enjoyment

For someone who has become one of tennis’s most recognisable voices, Robbie Koenig is remarkably modest about the idea of legacy.

He doesn’t talk about records or influence.

He doesn’t see himself as a figure who needs to be remembered.

Instead, he hopes viewers simply enjoyed the sport a little more because he was there.

“That I made people enjoy the sport they were watching.”

And perhaps that’s the perfect summary of Robbie Koenig’s career.

Whether through sharp tactical insight, infectious enthusiasm, colourful storytelling, or unforgettable phrases, he has spent nearly twenty years helping fans appreciate the game he loves.

As he puts it himself: “I’ve never worked a day in my life.”

For tennis fans around the world, that passion has been obvious every time he picks up the microphone.

PART 1 | EXCLUSIVE | Robbie Koenig: From doubles specialist to the Voice of Tennis

PART 2 | EXCLUSIVE | Calling history: The matches and moments Robbie Koenig will never forget

PART 3 | EXCLUSIVE | The art of Robbie Koenig’s tennis commentary

PART 4 | EXCLUSIVE | Robbie Koenig helps settle tennis’ GOAT debate

Dave Marshall is reporting exclusively from the 2026 US Open in New York for The South African.

Sharks fullback Luan Giliomee split the defence before soaring over the whitewash in Friday night’s pre-season thrashing of the SWD Eagles at Outeniqua Park.

Giliomee finished off a sweeping move sparked by slick passing in the midfield from the scrum.

The visitors led 19-0 at half-time in George, before carving apart the hosts for a 66-0 victory.

JP Pietersen’s men face the Lions at Ellis Park next Friday, building up to their Vodacom URC opener against the Ospreys at Kings Park on Saturday, 26 September.

WATCH: Sharks show Stormers who’s black

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

The post Watch: Giliomee spreads his wings in George appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

The Lions head into Sunday’s Currie Cup semi-final with a reinvigorated side after two key players were included to face title-holders Griquas in Kimberley.

Ruan Delport returns to lead the Pride against the defending champions at Griqua Stadium. He will partner Siya Qoma in the second row.

Scrumhalf Haashim Pead has been drafted in by coach Mziwakhe Nkosi to start at No 9, with Asad Moos on the bench.

PLUS: Boks let in Lions ‘laaities’ who keep knocking

Prop Siya Dube and lock JD Hattingh are the other changes to the replacements.

The Lions, seeking a third straight final appearance, travel to the Northern Cape on the back of a 36-12 win over the Stormers XXIII in Joburg.

The sides met during the league phase in the City of Diamonds in August, where Pieter Bergh’s Griquas claimed a 31-19 victory.

LIONS – 15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Keagan Smith, 13 Ethan Adams, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Latica Nela, 10 Matt Coetzee, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Jarod Cairns, 7 Renzo du Plessis, 6 Thando Biyela, 5 Ruan Delport (c), 4 Siba Qoma, 3 Ruan Swart, 2 Armand Combrinck, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Bench: 16 Mahle Sithole, 17 Siya Dube, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 JD Hattingh, 21 Asad Moos, 22 Exauce Kevani, 23 Luke Cannon.

Weekend teams

Photo: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images

The post Lions get double boost for semi appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

World Football Summit has announced the winners of the WFS Awards 2026, the tenth edition of the programme that recognises the professionals and organisations, in the spotlight and behind the scenes, whose work elevates the game, expands the business, and deepens its impact on society.

Michele Kang, Founder of Kynisca and Chairwoman & President of Olympique Lyonnais, has become the first woman in history to win the WFS Award for Best Executive presented by Excel Search & Advisory.

Michele Kang is an American businesswoman and investor who entered football in 2020, when she joined the ownership group of the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League, and later became the club’s controlling owner in 2022. The following year, she reached an agreement with OL Groupe to bring the club’s women’s team — now OL Lyonnes — into a separate entity under her majority ownership. She subsequently acquired London City Lionesses and, in 2024, launched Kynisca, the first multi-club platform dedicated exclusively to women’s football.

In June 2025, she also became President of Olympique Lyonnais and Chairperson and CEO of Eagle Football Group, S.A., the club’s parent company; in June 2026 she acquired a controlling stake of close to 88% in Eagle Football Group, S.A.

The jury, made up of senior executives from some of the world’s leading clubs and federations, highlighted Kang’s transformative impact across both the men’s and women’s game in Europe and North America. Beyond pioneering an innovative multi-club ownership model for women’s football, the panel praised her ability to step into complex organisations and shift their trajectory—delivering immediate sporting results while taking a long-term approach to building sustainable organisations.

Kang joins a list of previous Best Executive winners that includes Nasser Al-Khelaïfi (Paris Saint-Germain, 2025), Fernando Carro (Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 2024), Ferran Soriano (City Football Group, 2023) and Aleksander Čeferin (UEFA, 2021), among others.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition, especially knowing the extraordinary leaders who have come before me. The game is evolving quickly, on and off the pitch, and I believe its future will be shaped by leaders willing to challenge assumptions, invest with ambition and build for the long term,” said Kang. “To receive this recognition for my work across football, and to be the first woman to receive the award, is especially meaningful. I hope it also reflects the growing role women are playing in leading and shaping football at every level.”

Kang will take the stage at WFS Madrid 2026 as a guest speaker, for an exclusive fireside chat moderated by Chad Biagini, President of Excel Search & Advisory and host of the Excellent Leadership Podcast, on 15 September, the opening day of the event.

CPKC Stadium, Another Milestone for Women’s Football

Iker Ruiz takes home the WFS Award for Best Content Creator, presented by TikTok, one of three new categories introduced this year. He is the creator of Elefutbol, a TikTok channel with 11 million followers built on narrative, emotionally-driven football storytelling — tributes, personal journeys and human-interest pieces — rather than highlights or news coverage.

In Best Fan-Centric Initiative, presented by Goodform by YouFirst, the award goes to Como Gaming Club, Como 1907‘s platform connecting fans through gaming, esports and digital culture giving the club a new way to reach younger, digitally-native fans beyond the stadium.

CPKC Stadium, home of the Kansas City Current, takes the WFS Award for Best Stadium Experience, presented by Stadium DB — the first stadium in the world built exclusively for women’s football, and a milestone the award recognises in its own right.

All WFS Awards 2026 Winners:

• Best Content Creator, presented by TikTok: Iker Ruiz
• Best Digital Transformation Initiative, presented by N3XT Sports: Revolutionising the Saudi Sports and Football Ecosystem (Saudi Ministry of Sports)
• Best Executive, presented by Excel Search & Advisory: Michele Kang (Kynisca Sports International and Olympique Lyonnais)
• Best Fan-Centric Initiative, presented by Goodform by YouFirst: Como Gaming Club (Como 1907)
• Best Gender Equality Initiative, presented by Women in Football: Girls United
• Best Growth Strategy, presented by Deloitte: PLAYBACK
• Best Stadium Experience, presented by Stadium DB: CPKC Stadium
• Eli Wolff Football Without Limits, presented by Integrated Dreams: South Sudan Blind Football
• Football for Good, presented by Common Goal: Moving the Goalposts
• Most Innovative Supplier, presented by SportsTechX: Trajektory
• Woman in Leadership, presented by Women in Soccer: Claire Bloomfield (Ayresome International)

“Every winner of every category makes us proud: all of them have delivered outstanding work and shown a genuine commitment to this industry, an industry that needs every one of them. Seeing Michele Kang honoured in our tenth anniversary year feels genuinely special. Her path embodies one of the things that inspired us to launch WFS back in 2016, and what still inspires us every day: elevating female leadership in sports management, and proving just how far women’s football can go,” said Marian Otamendi, CEO of World Football Summit.

The WFS Awards trophies will be presented on 15 September at Teatro Eslava, Madrid, on the opening night of WFS Madrid 2026 during a gala hosted by Georgina Léger. It is at the ceremony that the winner of the WFS Award for a Career Honouring the Essence of the Game, presented by Senn Ferrero will be revealed for the first time.

The post World Football Summit announces winners of WFS Awards 2026 appeared first on SportsAfrica - Sports news | Live scores | Match highlights | Betting tips.

Cette semaine, le Brief de Jeune Afrique revient sur la mutinerie qui a fait vaciller le pouvoir d’Abdourahamane Tiani au Niger, décrypte l’accord conclu entre le Sénégal et le FMI, s’intéresse aux premiers pas de Romuald Wadagni à la tête du Bénin, revient sur la chute du colonel malien Alpha Yaya Sangaré et analyse la stratégie de l’Istiqlal de Nizar Baraka à l’approche des élections législatives marocaines.