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Home , 2018 French Open, 2019 French Open, Artem Sitak, ATP Cup, Carlos Alcaraz, Erin Routliffe

April 2019 Page 1 AGM and Dinner details ( LIVE LINKS TO THESE PAGES )

President Cecilie McIntyre [email protected] Page 2 Obituaries. Tom Kiely MBE and Paul Hutchins MBE

Hon Treasurer Paul Thomson [email protected] Page 3 ICNZ v IC October 2019

Hon Sec. Angela Hart [email protected] Page 4 –5 Roland Garros Invitation and stadium update

Vice President Russell Tills [email protected] Page 6. NZ Seniors report. Page 7 IC Week

Link to IC Council website www.ictennis.net Page 9-11 News of Members & Drop Shots

rd Our 63 AGM and Dinner SUNDAY MAY 19th. Once again we will be hiring the very suitable Carlton Cornwall Bowling Club Lounge 126 Market Rd, Epsom . Parking will be available at 2 entrances, Market Rd and the second one is from Puriri Drive just around the corner in the Rugby Club entrance. The main road on the left below is Manukau Rd.

Mix and Mingle 5-5.45 with the AGM starting at 6 pm sharp, followed by the Annual Dinner.

Please reply to Angela Hart [email protected] as soon as possible but the final cut off date will be Friday 3rd May. The agenda has recently been sent to members, thanks to those who have replied. We expect around 70 members and partners to this. Those who have read the last newsletter will realise we have a very generous anonymous member who has offered to fund this for financial members …. but we do need names of those attending. Many of our new members invited since the last AGM will be receiving their ties or badges, some were able to come to the morning teas so have theirs. ( See the names under News of Members) Please note the Dress Code. A gentle reminder to the men members : we are proud to belong to the International Club of NZ and our ties do symbolise this membership. We encourage you to wear a tie, preferably your club tie. We are also pleased to tell you that IC Member David Howman a former Chair of Tennis NZ Board and well known as a former head of WADA the World Anti Doping Authority, who is now the head of the Athletics Integrity Unit, will be our guest speaker in the time between our main course and dessert. He is well known as an excellent speaker and his background tennis knowledge makes him ideal for us. 1 Obituary Tom Kiely MBE We are very sorry to record the recent death of Tom Kiely. Tom was our IC Hon Secretary from 1995-99 and a well loved IC Member. He was Tournament Director of the International Tournament from 1989-96, President of Tennis Auckland in 1996-7 and he and his late wife Nonie who was also an IC Hon Member, were both made Life Members of Tennis Auckland in 2001. Recently their son Peter was invited as an Hon Member so the Kiely family name continues.

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Another sad passing to report is that of Paul Hutchins also an MBE. Over recent years many on our committee have had very friendly contact with Paul’s wife Shali who has continued the work Paul started as Executive Assistant to the Chairman on the IC Council.

Here is the message we received from IC Council Chairman Peter McQuibban

Paul Hutchins

Paul lost his brave battle with ALS last week. We'll miss him. His exceptional tennis career has been and will be the subject of many glowing tributes, first as a player and then giving back to the game in significant ways: tennis player, captain, head of men's tennis at the LTA...

He made a particular and lasting contribution to the International Club.

We searched the archive for a picture we knew we would not find: Paul in an IC tie, Paul in any tie...

Most of the photos we have of Paul show him giving that careful attention he always gave to everything he did, however grand however un-grand. We turned to Paul when we knew we needed to launch something big that had to be sustainable: the now world-wide IC Junior Challenge (16s and under).

He set the gold standard for us as our first Tournament Director at European regional finals at the Vincennes Club in in 2005.

We turned to Paul when we knew we needed to bring the International Club, at the Council level especially, Into the modern world - more professional, more in tune with the modern game, but which still respected the sporting spirit of the game which was ingrained in the history and traditions of the IC. It was Paul's role, for several years on the Executive Committee of the Council, to ask us all those difficult questions about govern- ance and participation: what value did the IC add for its members, what value did the IC add to the game of tennis? These were difficult questions. We didn't always have the kind of answers that satisfied Paul: he was persistent in his search for something tangible. It kept us honest and it keeps us honest to this day.

(continued)

2 At the end of our, often long, discussions, Paul's serious face would break into a smile (the one in the photo we’ve chosen), and he'd say: "OK, Peter, but you can see why I am asking, can't you?" I could. I'd then go off to host the lunch in my jacket and tie; and he, in his smart tracksuit, would disappear into the stands quickly to watch and mentor new British talent.

Paul also gave the International Club Shali and their wonderful family full of IC members to whom our hearts go out.

Peter

Among the tributes from IC’s all around the world, Angela sent this message .

Dear Shali, On behalf of all members of ICNZ please accept our deepest sympathies to you and your family on your loss of Paul. What a wonderful man - I feel sad that I never had the opportunity to meet him. Tears were in my eyes by the time I had finished reading Peter’s email notifying us of Paul's passing. Take care and have comfort in remembering all the great times you shared together.

With Kindest Regards Angela Hart

Our proposed visit to play the IC of Australia in October. Mention has been made of this in recent newsletters and an email to members, but now we have the confirmed date. October 19th & 20th . This will be held at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast. The Australian IC have suggested we play for the Sedgman -Tills Trophy, honouring both clubs’ former Presidents who set up the first matches played between 16 and Under Juniors , for the Trans Tasman Trophy and which led to the IC Council developing the world wide IC Challenge, mentioned in the article about Paul Hutchins. This is a wonderful way to honour both these men. Frank is still taking part in some IC activities in Australia. For those younger members we remind you that as an amateur, Frank won 5 Grand Slam Singles titles, part of the 23 Grand Slam titles he won in singles, doubles and mixed doubles between 1948 -52 before turning professional. He is also a Past President of the Australian IC and the IC Council. Australia have encouraged our supporters to be part of the weekend and they will choose their playing team to match the ages etc of our members who would like to play.

We hope this will be the first of many future fixtures between our clubs. We always envy the European IC’s who can play matches against other IC’s regularly with the distances being so short in those countries. Play on both the Saturday and Sunday is envisaged with more social tennis and / or golf on the Saturday and the match being Sunday followed by a more formal dinner than the Saturday night get together. Please think about coming as a player or supporter, especially if you are able to add a few days on for a holiday. We realise it is harder for those of you still working but this is the first ‘local’ IC match for a while. Please let Angela, Cecilie or our Match Convenor Paul White know, even if you are just considering it at this stage. Please ask for details of the group rate which has been arranged at the resort, or you are welcome to stay on the coast, as it is only 7 km to Surfers Paradise.

3 Roland Garros invitation All members were recently sent this invitation to attend the annual Cocktail function to be held at Roland Garros on Tuesday 28th May. We are pleased to have heard from our Davis Cup player and IC Member that he would like to attend this. If any of you are going to Roland Garros this year you are most welcome to attend this function. Please read the dress code for the evening: IC tie or pendant. (With 40 IC Countries the variety of stripes is interesting!) You may be accompanied for the day and evening. Please reply direct to Mrs Laurence Goulard by the 18th May but please also let us know.

4 Speaking of the French and Roland Garros…… Roland-Garros’ main stadium, Court , has been renovated for the 2019 , which takes place from May 26 to June 9, before it is equipped with a retractable roof for the 2020 tournament. Roland Garros is not simply putting a roof on the existing centre-court stadium. The renovation project will leave virtually nothing intact from the original 1928 stadium complex. They have made amazing progress, often working through the night. Here are photos of the demolition and rebuilding in time for this year’s Championship

Organisers of the French Open have officially unveiled the new Court Simonne-Mathieu, a venue they claim is the most beautiful tennis stadium in the world. Named after France’s second-most decorated female player, the new stadium forms part of the wider regeneration project taking place at Roland-Garros, home of the grand slam tournament. While the main structure of the 5,000-seat Court Simonne-Mathieu was completed for the , innovative landscaping work to incorporate the surrounding Serres d’Auteuil had yet to be finished. The had faced fierce opposition when its masterplan for Roland-Garros was first unveiled, chiefly concerns over the detrimental impact it could have on the adjoining Serres d’Auteuil botanical garden. The famed location is home to 6,000 square meters of greenhouses built in 1898 and contain works by the sculptor Auguste Rodin. The Roland-Garros expansion has added more than 1,300 sqm of greenhouses to the existing ones, with the new stadium located within the greenhouses. Indeed, the new stadium has been designed to honour these greenhouses and fans at the mid-level of the venue will be able to leave their seats and walk through gardens containing plants from the world’s five continents. The semi-buried stadium is set between four greenhouses. The women's doubles trophy at the French Open is named for Simonne, Coupe Simonne-Mathieu ... Her specialty was doubles and in 1938 she earned a rare “triple” at Roland Garros, sweeping the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles competitions. Only (1925,1926), (1954), and Margaret Smith Court (1964) have achieved that distinction.

Simonne Mathieu was ranked in the World Top 10 eleven times and reached No. 3 in 1932 behind Moody and Helen Hull Jacobs. In 1928, she became the number one player in France, a status she held through 1940. The war cut short her playing but she persuaded General de Gaulle to establish a Women’s auxiliary to the Free French Forces and served in that, ending the war ranked Captain. To read more click here...

5 Thanks to Bev Billington for this excellent report.

6 IC France Week Plans are progressing well for our team entry into the Windmill Trophy, part of the celebration of the IC France’s 90th Anniversary at Le Touquet in September. It is a shame this clashes with Davis Cup preparation as was available to be part of our men’s team where we will have 2 players each in the under and over 45 team. Unfortunately we have been unable to field a team in the women’s equivalent, the Mercelis Cup event for players under and over 40. Our team will be : Under 45 Oliver Statham, Anton Bettink, Martin Colenbrander

45+ Mark Hadley (Captain) Gilles de Gouy, Andrew Turner. Martin Colenbrander played in our early IC Trans Tasman ties in the 16 and under competition, so is the first of those players to progress to an IC Week team.

Spotlight on an IC member ICNZ Member Gilles de Gouy is a valued member and Gilles (left) at a recent IC Morning Tea with there are not too many members who are as active in a Greg Long and John Lawrence . wide range of tennis activities as Gilles is at present. We asked Gilles to give the newsletter a brief outline of his activities. His passion for tennis in NZ and Pacific Oceania is impressive. Playing Davis Cup for Pacific Oceania Region was a highlight in 2013 and 2014 but the following years included the role of Davis Cup Captain and then Fed Cup Captain. Gilles is a regular player in ITF Seniors in NZ and Australia and has competed in the European summer seasons, and is very much looking forward to representing against the country of his birth (France) by playing for the ICNZ at the Windmill Trophy event in Le Touquet this September, go Kiwi! As if he is not busy enough, other roles include supporting developing tennis communities e.g. spending a number of months in Kiribati to develop tennis there and supporting the Cambodian Tennis Federation by regularly visiting and providing technical advice and taking players to Cambodia to promote the development of tennis there. Local activity includes owning and managing a thriving Coaching Business at Ngataringa Tennis Club, Devonport, Auckland (200+ junior & 80+ adults coached weekly) while very actively supporting the local schools and community through providing many free tennis events and also charity collections for Auckland foster children. Fantastic effort Gilles

A flashback to the successful Cocktail evening organised by Mark Hadley in London last June. Back Row: Mark, Artem Sitak, , and IC Committee man John Mills Front : Julian Tatum (GB) Anton Bettink, Ashley Wilson, Gilles and Craig Arbuckle . Julian is an Hon IC Member so was wearing his NZ tie !

7 News of Members New members Since the last AGM we have invited some of the younger touring players as mentioned in the last newsletter and also some others who now qualify with our expanded NZ rankings range. This has meant we now have more ‘still active’ players which is very good for our future. We are hoping some of those invited in the last few years will be part of the team on the trip to Queensland too. 2018 invitations have been accepted by Lesley Ferkins, Neil Carter, Glenn Ryder, Jules Stephan, Jeff Sowter (hon), Feleti Sofele (hon), Marc Paulik , Julian Faulls, Simon Robinson (overseas) and the 3 younger touring Fed Cup women, Erin Routliffe, and . This year we have these new members Stephen Harley (overseas ), Julia Sim, Angela Swinkels , Alison Glenie and two hon. members Peter Kiely and Jean Murray. Welcome to you all.

********************************************************** Congratulations to Stephen Temple (right) who won the Oceania Championships doubles in 65s with Wayne Cowley (Aus) at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. They beat world number 1 Andrew Rae in the semis and former world number 1 Max Bates in the final.

Philanthropy Russell Tills has been guiding this pilot programme of 8 weekly lessons with a group of children at Mainfreight Bairds Primary school in Otara. Tracey O’Connor and Kevin Woolcott have developed the lesson plans and been active as the main coaches, Mark Lewis has been a great help as the link with Tennis Auckland and his knowledge of the schools, John Mills and Chris Ronayne have assisted, so thanks very much to them all. There are photos from several lessons on the photo sharing pages ICNZ has set up . Ask Cecilie if you need help to access this, it still has photos from our morning teas and Dinners. It is not a public site, but we have invited our members and tennis friends to look or add their own comments or photos. https://cluster.co/i/XVX3DXDD Russell will be updating members during the AGM about the progress of the IC Philanthropy pilot.

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A Prediction coming true!! was voted the WTA Player of the Month after lifting the biggest title of her career at the , while our ASB runner-up earned the WTA Break- through of the Month Some of our members who were at the 2012 AGM will recall we invited Stephen Healy, then President of as our Guest Speaker. Stephen had won the NZ Junior Singles title in 1975/6. (He was introduced by his cousin Jim Martin who was a former Chairman of Tennis NZ Board.) The reason I am recalling this is that Stephen told us to follow the progress of a young 16 year old Australian Ashleigh Barty. As we all know now, Ash had a promising Junior career, winning the girls singles at Wimbledon in 2011 and had success in doubles on the WTA tour reaching 3 Grand Slam finals with in 2013 while still 16. By late 2014 she decided to take an indefi- nite break from tennis and played top level cricket for the Heat. Fortunately for tennis fans after a 2 year break she returned to tennis starting on the ITF circuit. Late last month she won the biggest singles title of her ca- reer , the Miami Open following her first Grand Slam title in the doubles at the US open last year. Ashleigh is a quiet but determined player, who mixes her shots so well she is a pleasure to watch. She has variety in her game, she can match the power with the hard hitters, she has an excellent , winning many free points from aces but she can al- so slice and and mix it up. “A bit of a turning was to play my brand of tennis and execute better on the big points,” she told AAP following her Miami victory.

Yock Stand. In the 1960’s the Robinson and Yock Stands were built and plans have been underway for many years to demolish these and build new ones capable of holding a retractable roof as most tennis centres around the world now have. Money and planning permission have been the main obstacles to having this started already, however last week the Yock Stand was demolished in less than one day. The replacement stands will be ready by October with bucket seats, but still no roof yet. It is possible with more funding to hold events not connected with tennis during the year and Council funding has been promised towards this. I asked the CEO Marcus Reynolds to send me some photos taken last week. The right hand photo is Phil Yock , whose father Morris donated $20 000 to- wards the stand.

9 DROP SHOTS Men’s tennis in January As mentioned in the February newsletter we are not yet sure whether our Men’s ASB Classic will be affected by this news. Unfortunately for the , it will not be continuing in the future due to a brand new team event being played in Australia. From 2020 the ATP Cup will be the top attraction for the men in January. 24 teams will take place in the round-robin event across three cities in Australia. Held over 10 days, the ties will consist of two singles and one doubles matches. On offer will be a maximum of 750 ranking points for the winner as well as a mouth-watering prize money pool of $15 million. “The ATP Cup will launch the global tennis season for the men – this is their event, it means a lot to them and they’ve thrown their support behind it 100 percent Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said in a statement. The only consolation for , which has been the home of the Hopman Cup, is that the city has been named as one of the venues for the ATP Cup.

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The tradition and special location are what has always made Wimbledon a unique tournament. But years go on and business is always more and more important. That's why organizers are thinking to put in place an artificial grass on courts. The plan should start just at club level, for the All England Club members. The idea started when analysing the possibility to schedule more matches on the main show courts, especially and No. 1 Court that only host three matches a day each.

In an interview with The Daily Mail, after last year’s Championship, the committee member and former Wimbledon semi-finalistTim Henman confirmed there is a chance. 'In an ideal world, you’d like to have four matches on Centre Court and Court No1', Henman said. 'What people never focus on is the fact it’s a natural surface. It’s grass. You’ve got to have that court for 13 days and if you kill it in the first five days, then you’re in trouble. Wimbledon is investing a lot of money looking at the hybrid thing.

When you see the football and rugby pitches now, they’re three per cent artificial. We’re certainly looking at, “What does five per cent look like on a ? What does 10 per cent look like on a tennis court?” If you go back a few generations, grass was huge in America, Australia, India (and New Zealand!!) and a lot of it has died out because of the maintenance, the cost, the quality of court. If that area can evolve then it may be relevant for Wimbledon.' At the moment there are no plans for next year's event, but in the future, something could change. The grass is 100% natural at Wimbledon. (Written in July 2018)

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I acknowledge using snippets from various places including www.ubitennis.net which has very interesting up to date tennis news clips. The main author is Ubaldo Scanagatta Hon Secretary of the Italian IC. Fortunately the website is multilingual. Believe it or not, he has covered 132 Grand Slams !! He has some very perceptive short videos discussing play during the main tour events.

10 Other youngsters to keep an eye on …..

A young Spanish player, 15 year old Carlos Alcaraz Garfia has won 2 rounds of the current Challenger tournament in . As a wild card he beat the 140th ranked 5th seed before losing in 3 sets to the 9th seed. has been helping him lately.

Wimbledon junior champion Iga Swiatek advanced to her first WTA tour final in Lugano , , by beating 101st ranked Kristyna Pliskova 6-0, 6-1 in the Samsung Open semi-finals this week. The 17-year-old Pole, playing in a tournament main draw for only the third time, won in just 54 minutes. Swiatek, ranked No. 115, will debut in the top 100 when the new rankings are published Monday. News just in, Iga lost the final to experienced 6/3 3/6 6/3 . A great start for a possible new star! *****************************************

Finally, a photo I came across which is very relevant to 2 items in this newsletter.

Frank Sedgman, Captain of the Australian IC team accepting the Windmill Trophy from Lord Iliffe in 1951.

This trophy, which our men will play for in France in September, was presented by the Netherlands IC in 1948. They wanted to bring the tennis players of the world together after the years of devastation in Europe. 20,000 people turned out to watch the event in sunny Noordwijk for the first IC Week. Teams from GB, France, USA, and the Netherlands, played a round robin over 4 days.

It is great to know the tradition of these IC Weeks still continue. The size of these ‘Weeks ‘ varies. At times different age groups play for other well known trophies tsuch as the Potter Cup, Columbus Trophy, La Carreta Trophy , Wallenberg Trophy and the Mercelis for the Women. In Washington in 2008 for the USIC 75th anniversary there were 217 players competing for 4 trophies. Earlier for the ICGB 75th Anniversary there were 225 players from 30 countries taking part !! NZ had a team in both the Windmill Trophy and the Mercelis Cup, where we won the Winnie Wooldridge plate. In that event there were 61 former Davis Cup and 19 former Fed Cup players. Some are smaller ‘Weeks’ and we encourage our members to be aware of these, including members who now are living or coaching overseas. It is possible to combine with another IC as long as we have at least 2 ICNZ members.

Please remember to reply asap to [email protected] if you are coming to the AGM and Dinner. We look forward to seeing many of you there. We know members are coming from Christchurch and Dunedin. Back issues of our Newsletter can be read on the IC Council website clicking the NZ flag on the Home Page. There are also interesting articles to read about other IC Clubs, and recent results of matches. For the committee. Cecilie

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