SA tennis ace recovering
2003-02-01 18:49
Springbok - South Africa's doubles tennis player, Jeff Coetzee, was recovering well in hospital following an accident in which his five-year-old nephew was killed on Friday, a family friend said.
Coetzee's mentor and personal assistant Bruce Davidson said on Saturday a surgeon at Vergelegen Medi Clinic in Somerset West confirmed that the tennis player was in a stable condition.
He was suffering from a dislocated left hip, lacerations to the right arm and leg and had lost a lot of blood.
Coetzee, 25, was driving home to Okiep in Namaqualand from Cape Town with his older sister, Amelia De La Cruz and her two sons when a tyre burst. The vehicle went out of control and hit a concrete barrier. The car rolled several times before coming to a standstill.
Davidson said Coetzee, Amelia and her sons Daniel, 12, and five-year-old Jean-Pierre were rushed to Vredendal hospital in a serious condition.
He said Jean-Pierre died on Saturday and Daniel was in a stable condition in a Cape Town clinic.
Amelia was being treated for minor back injuries and shock.
Coetzee and compatriot Chris Haggard lost in the doubles semi-finals of the Australian Open two weeks ago.
- SAPA