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2/8/11 3:30 PM | Johan Lindahl
As his nation fights to retain the South African Open in the face of a 2012 ATP schedule reduction, weekend tournament winner Kevin Anderson has suddenly emerged as the nation's current sporting hero.
The South African who played university tennis in the US, earned his first ATP trophy at home and now stands a career-best 40th in the world, the best ranking for a local player since Wayne Ferreira's reign from 1992-2003.
But Anderson now has a distant target to shoot for, with Ferreira winning 15 titles and reaching a consistent Top 10 ranking during his career. "It's tough to play us at home due to the altitude, winning a Tour title here in South Africa," said Anderson. "It was a great experience and memory I’ll have for the rest of my life. I’m just really thankful that I was able to come out and play here."
South African tennis officials are prepared to fight to save their February event, which returned to the Tour only three years ago and has been played in the unpopular week immediately after a Grand Slam. The ATP is trying to reduce the length of the season and is looking to cut tournaments from the calendar during a year made even more crowded by the 2012 London Olympics.
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