EXCLUSIVE | The story that still makes tennis commentator Robbie Koenig laugh
· The South African
The people, passions, and memories that have shaped one of tennis’s most beloved commentators.
After decades in professional tennis – as a player, commentator, and broadcaster – Robbie Koenig has accumulated countless stories.
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Some involve Grand Slam champions, while others feature legendary administrators and famous rivals.
But when the conversation turns to old friends, the laughter comes easily.
And no friend seems to provide more material than former doubles partner John-Laffnie de Jager, known simply throughout tennis circles as “JL.”
The Adelaide Story That Never Gets Old
Robbie Koenig and De Jager formed a successful doubles partnership during the late 1990s, sharing victories, setbacks, and countless hours on the road together.
Their friendship has endured long after their playing careers ended, built on a relationship where honesty was always part of the deal.
“We’ve always been straight with each other.”
That honesty was on full display at the start of the 1998 season.
The pair had ended 1997 on a high after reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open from qualifying.
Following the season-ending events, they headed home for the off-season before agreeing to meet again in Adelaide for the start of the new year.
When Koenig arrived and saw De Jager for the first time, he could hardly believe his eyes.
“No lies, he must have put on 15 pounds.”
The South African winter – and apparently plenty of farm cooking back home in Ermelo – had done its work.
Koenig remembers staring in disbelief.
“It was like, ‘This is not the same guy that I finished the season with.'”
The timing made the situation even funnier.
The pair had arrived early in Adelaide but failed to gain entry into qualifying, leaving them with roughly 10 days of uninterrupted training before competition began.
Koenig had already completed his pre-season preparation.
Now he found himself doing another mini pre-season alongside his partner.
“We basically spent 10 days training.”
The good news for De Jager?
Much of the extra weight quickly disappeared.
“He probably lost half of that in 10 days.”
Nearly three decades later, Koenig still laughs when telling the story.
His closing verdict remains simple:
“Get in shape, Fool!”
Why Their Friendship Endured
The Adelaide story reflects something deeper about the friendship between the two South Africans.
Neither was afraid to tell the other exactly what they thought.
If one was out of line, the other would say so.
That mutual honesty created trust and respect that lasted well beyond their playing careers.
According to Robbie Koenig, it is one of the main reasons they’ve remained such close friends.
Not even JL’s reputation as a practical joker could undermine that bond.
“He was a big prankster.”
Fortunately for Koenig, he claims he usually saw the tricks coming.
“The Durbanite was too quick for that Ermelo farmer boy.”
Life Beyond Tennis
Away from commentary boxes and tennis courts, Koenig’s greatest passions are surprisingly simple.
Fly fishing. And golf.
If forced to choose between them?
“Fly fishing just clips it. Fifty-one percent to forty-nine.”
The attraction isn’t necessarily about catching fish. It’s about the places fishing takes him.
“It takes me to the most beautiful places in the world.”
Growing up in South Africa instilled a lifelong love of wildlife, nature, and the outdoors. Fishing allows him to reconnect with that environment while escaping the constant pace of professional sport.
One location stands above all others.
A small fishing town called Last Chance in Idaho.
“If I lived in the States, that would do me just fine.”
Golf, Competition, and One Perfect Shot
Golf satisfies a different need.
Like many former professional athletes, Robbie Koenig still enjoys competing.
His current handicap sits around five, an impressive number for someone whose primary sporting career was spent wielding a tennis racquet rather than a golf club.
Among the many courses he has played, two stand out.
Kingston Heath in Melbourne is his favourite layout. Jack’s Point in Queenstown, New Zealand, is the most scenic.
But perhaps his favourite golfing memory came at Australia’s National Golf Club.
There, on the course’s signature par-three hole, Koenig recorded the only hole-in-one of his life.
Watching the ball bounce, turn and disappear into the cup remains one of the most surreal experiences he has ever had on a golf course.
“When it disappears, it’s the most surreal feeling you’ve ever had.”
A Legacy Built on Enjoyment
For someone who has become one of tennis’s most recognisable voices, Robbie Koenig is remarkably modest about the idea of legacy.
He doesn’t talk about records or influence.
He doesn’t see himself as a figure who needs to be remembered.
Instead, he hopes viewers simply enjoyed the sport a little more because he was there.
“That I made people enjoy the sport they were watching.”
And perhaps that’s the perfect summary of Robbie Koenig’s career.
Whether through sharp tactical insight, infectious enthusiasm, colourful storytelling, or unforgettable phrases, he has spent nearly twenty years helping fans appreciate the game he loves.
As he puts it himself: “I’ve never worked a day in my life.”
For tennis fans around the world, that passion has been obvious every time he picks up the microphone.
PART 1 | EXCLUSIVE | Robbie Koenig: From doubles specialist to the Voice of Tennis
PART 2 | EXCLUSIVE | Calling history: The matches and moments Robbie Koenig will never forget
PART 3 | EXCLUSIVE | The art of Robbie Koenig’s tennis commentary
PART 4 | EXCLUSIVE | Robbie Koenig helps settle tennis’ GOAT debate
Dave Marshall is reporting exclusively from the 2026 US Open in New York for The South African.