Testimonials

Izak van der Merwe

I would like to use this opportunity to provide a reference for Gerrie Dippenaar who I’ve know for more than 20yrs. As a tennis player I was fortunate enough to play on the ATP Tour from 2005-2014 and represent South Africa in 13 Davis Cup ties. I reached a career high ranking of 113 in singles and 94 in doubles and participated in multiple grand slam and ATP events during this time.

None of my achievements would have been possible without the help, mentorship and coaching that Gerrie provided me when attending Waterkloof High School from 1998 to 2001. During this time, under the coaching of Gerrie, I developed into a player and a person that will ultimately have an opportunity to try my hand at professional tennis and compete with the best in the world. Gerrie’s coaching and mentorship was an integral part in preparing me for a future in tennis. His passion and knowledge of the game is second to none and his experience with multiple high level players as well as coaching the best high school tennis team for multiple years is what attracted me to the program at Waterkloof. Beyond coaching an individual player, I believe Gerrie’s true strength lies in coaching, motivating, and guiding a team. Gerrie always knew how to motivate the players to get the best out of them and during my time at Waterkloof Gerrie managed to guide our team to multiple championships at a national level. I believe that Gerrie’s coaching experience with multiple teams and individuals at the highest level will be an amazing asset to the Namibian Davis Cup team and I know that he will bring the upmost integrity and professionalism to this endeavor.

Rik de Voest

I was introduced to Gerrie through his late Step-Father Jack Van Der Westhuizen who was my first coach and helped cultivate my love of the sport.

At the age of around 15/16, Jack realized that for me to progress further I needed the expertise and experience of a coach who had already achieved international success with top SA Juniors, and this was Gerrie.

Gerrie guided me from an in-experienced but eager Junior tennis player, to a 16 year career as professional tennis player on the world tour. From the age of 16 right through turning pro in 1999, and through 2005 when I left SA to live in North America, Gerrie guided, mentored, and coached me and developed my game through the challenges of breaking into and succeeding on the international tennis tour.

During 1999-2005, I traveled extensively on the ATP world tour and would return to SA to train with Gerrie at his tennis academy with like-minded top players in the country. I believe Gerries coaching, support, encouragement and creating a pro-active tennis environment contributed largely to me achieving my childhood dream of becoming a professional tennis player and playing on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon.

Gerrie encouraged the love of the sport and the prestige and honor of representing one’s country in Davis Cup competition. I had the privilege and honor of representing South Africa in Davis Cup competition for 12 years and was one of only 4 South Africans ever to receive the “Davis Cup Commitment award”

I do fully endorse and believe that given the opportunity, Gerrie will do an outstanding job in managing and representing Namibia in his capacity as Davis Cup Captain. I believe Gerrie will create an environment of national pride for the players, and help, support and encourage the players to perform at their best when wearing their national colors in Davis Cup Competition.

Wesley Whitehouse

I’m Wesley Whitehouse, former ATP Tour Pro and Junior Wimbledon Champion in 1997. I’m am currently USPTA Level 1 Professional coach and have coached some of the best New Zealand players, including NZ’s long-time #1 ranked player, Marina Erakovic.

I Produced 4 National Champions. In 1997 I made the number 1 rank for Juniors in the world, due to my triumphs in winning Junior Wimbledon, the Japan Open, Thailand Open and Surbiton Open. I was also runner-up in the Junior Australian and US Opens.

Throughout 2001 to 2006 I made a number of tennis achievements like ranking at 128 in doubles, making it to the top 16 in Wimbledon doubles and other accomplishments in the Singles and the RCA Championships as well as wins over Marat Safin, Mark Philippoussis,

James Blake, Jo Wilfried Tsonga and many others. It is with all these achievements in mind that I take this opportunity to write a letter of recommendation for Gerrie Dippenaar as Gerrie was the integral part of my success.

Gerrie is highly respected in the tennis coaching profession. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity and privilege to be coached by Gerrie for 10 years since I was 13 and he has given me the incredible opportunity to experience his exceptional coaching skills. His emphasis on hard work and determination was a key to most of his successes. He had developed his programmes so uniquely that you could only improve at every phase of the game. Gerrie has always supported me to reach my highest potential.

Gerrie gave me a different point of view and with his help and guidance, It didn’t only improve me as a tennis player but also as an individual. Gerrie also helped me identify skills I did not know I had and helped me tap into my talent which led to winning results. When I thought I couldn’t reach my goals, Gerrie always supported me and kept me going.

Based on my personal experience with Gerrie Dippenaar’s coaching tactics and his success, I can conclude that Gerrie is a true expert in this profession. I can attest that his tactics are very effective and that his accolades are well deserved.

Every great player needs a great coach to help them hone their skills and talents, and Gerrie Dippenaar has filled that very role for me. I give all the credit to Gerrie as my coach for all my tennis achievements and his continuous mentoring through the years.

I believe there is no one more deserving to be the Davis Cup Coach.

Tucker Vorster

I am writing this letter on behalf of coach Gerrie Dippenaar who has played a major role in my life on and off the tennis court.

I,Tucker Vorster had the great privilege of being coached by Gerrie Dippenaar throughout my junior and professional tennis career.

Gerrie coached me when I won the South African Junior nationals under 18, and he played an instrumental role in my Professional tennis career. I reached a career high world singles ranking of 278 and I represented South Africa in Davis Cup from 2013 to 2019.

Gerrie is an incredible tennis coach both tactically and technically but his knowledge and experience of the game has led many of his players to maximize their potential in the form of National and international titles.

Gerrie is the best motivator out there. With his leadership qualities, positive attitude and motivational skills, he is dream coach.

He has proven this over and over again on a provisional, national and international level and he will be a great addition to any team as a Head coach.

Justin Bower

Firstly, I don’t know if it would be possible to start this letter without expressing my warmest wishes and excitement at what is a brilliant opportunity.

My name is Justin Bower, and I played for several years on the ATP tour, playing in the main draw of Wimbledon on several occasions and Australian Open, and representing South Africa on approximately 10 occasions in Davis Cup. After retiring, my team and I founded Athletic DNA (ADNA) which became one of the top 10 tennis clothing brands in the world. Later, we founded NorthWest High Performance Tennis (NWHPT), which was voted the top tennis academy in the United States in 2019. This award was presented at the US Open in the same year. Lastly, I have published two books, Mentally Tough Me, as well as the Amazon best seller, Player Development Journal.

Gerrie, his family, and I have been close friends for three decades. I regard Gerrie as the single best coach in South Africa, having developed numerous junior #number 1’s and working with the country’s top professional tennis players. This resume includes Junior Wimbledon Champion and Wimbledon doubles quarter-finalist Westley Whitehouse, world doubles number 4, Jeff Coetzee, multiple professional title winner and top 100, Rik De Voest, and another world top 100, Shaun Rudman. No other coach has had the consistency, or the same value driven excellence that Gerrie has exuded over the last thirty years.

I understand that there is a brilliant young team emerging from Namibia. I can only imagine that under the wise guidance and leadership that Gerrie brings to the table, there is a massive opportunity at hand.

I cannot think of anyone that I would recommend as highly, and hope that this recommendation finds a welcoming ear. Thank you very much for your time, and leave you with my best wishes and luck as your team embarks on this prestigious journey.

Jeff Coetzee

My name is Jeff Coetzee. As a coach and manager. My experience includes currently being the Director of Tennis South Africa and coaching the number one doubles team in the ATP circuit: R Farah and J Cabal from Columbia. I was also the captain of the team that represented South Africa at the 2020 ATP Cup in Australia. As a player, I competed on ATP level and had a Top 10 doubles ranking during my career. I have also represented South Africa in the Davis Cup for many years.

However; none of the above would be possible if Gerrie did not cross my path during my development years. I have known Gerrie since the age of 13 when he started coaching me. We
achieved many great feats asa team. One of these achievements being that I was the first junior in South Africa to be ranked number one under 16 and 18 simultaneously. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the national teams that travelled with Gerrie all around the world and I have to give him credit.

He is a phenomenal coach, mentor and manager. He knows how to work with people and bring out the best in him. He has produced several players that played the Davis Cup for South Africa
and can without a doubt be labelled as a “team player” on and off the court. Over the years, Gerrie has proved himselfto be one of the top coaches South Africa has ever produced.

He would be an asset to any team and above all a delight and inspiration to any player under his supervision. When I look at the impact that he has had on my tennis career, I would most definitely recommend him for any coaching or managerial position at international level whether it be for juniors or seniors.

Surina De Beer

I had the privilege to be coached by Gerrie Dippenaar in my junior career, age 10-18 and again for a year in my last year on tour as a Professional Player.

I am currently coaching High Performance juniors ages 7-14 myself, I understand how important this time is in a player’s tennis career. As I look back at my time with Gerrie, I know he was by far the most influential coach in my tennis career.

Gerrie knows how to work with players, he understands what drives players and how to build their self confidence and believe to achieve levels of success. I know this because I was successful under his coaching and became World #1 junior u/16 and won 2 Junior Grand Slam Doubles Titles at the US Open. I was just one of so many players he helped to rise to the top of the game.

I now teach a lot of what I learned from Gerrie to my High Performance Juniors. My first trip traveling with a junior was taking Johanna Konta (Australian and Wimbledon semi finalist this year) to her first IF junior tournaments. What I learned from Gerrie was invaluable to the way I could help Johanna start her junior career.

I truly believe Gerrie would be invaluable to any of the Namibian players and in my belief is the best candidate for this position.

Gerhard Gruindelingh

To whom it may concern,
It is a great honor for me, Gerhard Gruindelingh, to thank my coach, Gerrie Dippenaar, for the generous contributions he has granted me. As a young, ambitious tennis player, I possessed numerous goals and dreams despite the abundant obstacles that stood against me. Coach Gerrie saw my talent and potential in my dreams that was unseen by others. Coach Gerrie went above and beyond to assist me in furthering my tennis career. I am forever in debt for his willingness to help. He assisted me in obtaining sponsors from various sources which gave me the opportunity to attend one of the finest high schools in South Africa, Hoërskool Waterkloof. Because of this, I was able to play tennis daily and travel for tournaments. Due to the financial assistance Coach Gerrie awarded me, I became one of the leading junior tennis players in South Africa. I continued to work my way up and eventually secured a scholarship at the University of South Alabama in the United States. While attending college, I not only was able to play the sport I loved but earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in sports management. Today, I reside in Stamford, Connecticut, USA where I coach tennis and have started a family. Coach Gerrie gave me the kingdom to my tennis career and to the life I always dreamed of and to that, Coach Gerrie, I salute you.

Directors

Gerrie Dippenaar

Fanie de Villiers