ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9608010044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
Liezel Horn speaks four languages fluently and is a world traveler.
At 19 years old, she's still working on graduating from high school.
Horn's educational progress has been slowed as she tries to make it on the women's professional tennis circuit. Three years ago, she was a semifinalist at the United States Tennis Association Women's Challenge of Roanoke at Hunting Hills Country Club. Now she's back, participating in singles and doubles, trying keep her career going.
She helped her cause Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-2 first round victory over American Meghan Shaughnessy. (Results in Scoreboard) Horn advanced to a 10 a.m. matchup today against Great Britain's Claire Taylor.
Horn, who lives in Durban, South Africa, speaks English, German, Afrikaans (a language similar to Dutch used in her native country) and Zulu, the native tongue of her city.
She was on the amateur circuit at the age of 12 and at the end of 1993 Horn was playing in the 16-year-old division of the Orange Bowl tournament. That's when Dennis Van Der Meer, coach of a tennis school in Hilton Head, S.C., offered her a scholarship.
``He's the teacher of teachers, the most famous coach in the world and it's an honor to [work out] at his school,'' said Horn. ``I knew then I could take my tennis a step farther.''
``In South Africa, that wasn't possible. It's too far to travel and there aren't that many players. I had been traveling [abroad] with either a coach or a parent since I was 12 years old, so I felt very comfortable at this school.''
For 51/2 days a week at the Van Der Meer school, Horn worked on tennis from 9:30 a.m. to noon and from 3 to 6 p.m. From 6 to 7 p.m., she worked out in the gym and it is for this reason that she hasn't graudated from high school. At the same time, Horn has taken correspondence courses and lacks only a couple of courses to get her high school degree. If tennis doesn't work out, she'll go to college.
``I was only going to stay at Van Der Meer for two months and then go back to South Africa,'' said Horn.
Then she realized it was best to stay in the United States and play in satellite tournaments like the Women's Challenger. That's how she landed in Roanoke for the 1993 tournament, where she made the semifinals before being withdrawing with an injury.
Horn is entered in this year's singles and doubles competition, though she must beat higher-seeded players if she equals her first singles' appearance.
She's not alone on this trip as older brother Janus is touring with her. In the past her father, Jan, and mother, Cecilia, who runs a tennis center in Durban, have toured with her. Cecilia gave Liezel her first introduction to tennis at the center.
Often, though, she's on the tour alone.
Actually, her mother gave Horn and her twin sister, an early introduction to tennis when she had them in a carriage, next to the court at the center, when they were six weeks old.
``I had my first lesson when I was five. I definitely liked it,'' said Horn.
Has travel been a hassle for this nomad of the tennis world?
``That's a difficult question,'' Horn said. ``I don't get tired of traveling. It's tough to go to underdeveloped countries such as Yugoslavia or Poland. I feel very comfortable here [in the states]. It's like a second home because I've been gone for so long [from South Africa].''
Horn, who is usually home for winter holidays, stays with families to save on expenses. ``I love that because I want to see how people live,'' she said.
There is the matter of education and Horn's future in tennis. ``I have goals set for myself. Education is very important,'' Horn stressed. ``You can't just travel all the time, going from one tournament to another. Eventually, you've go to think you're going to make it.
``I'd like to be in the top 150 players by the end of the year. Otherwise, I'll consider going to college.''
Horn, who is ranked in the top 250 in the world, has set a goal to make the top 150 by the end of the year. If that doesn't happen, she'll consider college.
To play in the grand-slam events, players need to be in the top 100. She already plays in the grand-slam doubles and will participate in the U.S. Open later this summer.
One thing tennis has done is to allow Horn time to work at her favorite hobbies - crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles.
``I do a lot of crossword puzzles because they're easy to carry around. I have a collection of [jigsaw] puzzles with the pieces glued together and framed,'' said Horn, who has no trouble finding something to do on or off the court.
LENGTH: Medium: 87 linesby CNB