South African wheelchair tennis supremo Kgothatso “KG” Montjane has opened up about mental health, saying athletes are also human, and more needs to be done to support them.
Montjane, 37, is a two-time Grand Slam champion after winning the women’s wheelchair doubles at the Roland Garros in June, and the US Open recently.
She won both majors with Japanese teammate Yui Kamiji (29) and achieved this feat in a space of three months.
Even with the monumental success acquired in a short space of time, Montjane admits that it did not come easy as she encountered a lot of mental health-related challenges along the way.
“Mental health is very important to us as athletes and public figures,” Montjane told Sunday World in a wide-ranging interview on Tuesday.
“And I am not surprised [seeing more athletes address mental health] because people think when you’re an athlete, it means you’re immune or don’t go through mental health issues. We are human too.
“So, that’s why it’s crucial for us to invest in sports psychology, because it also helps one to navigate their own personal life.
“On top of the resources we get, we need to have more access to sports psychology because if you are mentally tough, then you will be more than capable to handle whatever challenge you may come across.”
Like any other world-class athlete, the Seshego-born ace relies on something to keep going. And for her, being on the court does that.
“Tennis on its own is quite a challenging sport, but I find it so therapeutic just playing it as a sport,” she said.
“It [tennis] helps me mentally, and I am driven to keep on playing because it contributes so much to my mental health.
“Because of the challenges that I come across, tennis keeps me on my toes, makes me think and is just that one thing that keeps me going.”
Montjane also won big at the 2023 Gsport awards when she scooped the Brand South Africa Para Sport Star of the Year accolade early this month.
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