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Home , 2016 China Open (tennis), 2016 Miami Open, 2017 ATP World Tour, 2017 Miami Open, 2017 Rogers Cup, 2018 Miami Open

November –December 2017

President Des Shaw [email protected] ASB Classics 2018

Hon Treasurer Paul Thomson [email protected] AGM and Annual Dinner Date 2018 P 2

Hon Sec. Angela Hart [email protected] From Karl Budge P2 2018 P3

Editor Cecilie McIntyre [email protected] News of Members P 4 & 5 Yana Novotna P 5 Link to IC Council website www.ictennis.net Drop Shots P 6-8

Morning Teas ASB Tournaments January 2018 Those members who returned their forms re the morning tea, gate and stand passes, have been contacted by Angela. Angela will be posting these tickets in the next week. No new passes will be available.

Next ASB Classic Tournaments January 2018

Well done to ASB Classic Tournament Director (and ICNZ Member ) Karl Budge on once again assembling a great field for both our tournaments. I asked him to write a piece about the prospects, written just before the recent ATP Finals when Mike Venus had qualified for the doubles with . Since then Michael and Ryan have surprised many. They were seeded 8th, but reached the semi-finals, winning all 3 of their group matches before bowing out to the top seeds. A great effort, not to mention how handy the US$200.000 they share will be. They also won 600 ranking points each to assist them being seeded in tournaments next year. The overall winners were & . To show how close the men’s doubles teams are, Michael and Ryan beat them in the round robin section 6-4 7-6. If you watched any of the ATP Next Gen event from , featuring the top ranked 21 and Under players you’ll know what a treat we have in store with 4 of the finalists coming to the Men’s ASB Classic, including the winner and runner up…Hyeon Chung and Audrey Rublev.

Hyeon Chung Audrey Rublev

1 AGM Date for 2018

We like to plan ahead to give those members from outside time to organise arrangements to join in our Annual Dinner and AGM. It will once again be held at the Carlton Cornwall Bowling Club Lounge on Sunday 20th May 2018 The cost of the dinner will be very generously covered by an “anonymous donor”. This will be for financial members only (we are still following up several subs which were due in July)

Continuing ASB Tournaments January 2018 From Karl Budge……

“The ASB Classic is fast approaching and we are very excited about the fields that are starting to come together. Whilst there is still some work to be done, there is a real mix of top end talent, the most exciting wave of youngsters coming through and some of our favourites coming in career best form. The Women’s event will be headlined by . Caroline has had her best year on tour in some time and finished the year as world number three off the back of her victory at the Season Ending Championships – the biggest title of her career. Off court it has been a big year for Caroline also getting engaged to her boyfriend, recently retired NBA player David Lee. David and Caroline actually popped in to Auckland for a quick lunch on their way to getting engaged in Bora Bora. A casual eight carats was all it required… Joining Caroline will be former world number two and 2013 ASB Classic champion Agnieska Radwanska and 2017 champion . We are still hopeful of securing at least one more big name player in the Women’s field and a couple more top 20 players. For the Men’s, will be our top seed. Jack has had an incredible year including three ATP Tour Titles, his first Masters 1000 level victory, broke in to the world’s top ten and qualified for the ATP Tour Finals. As of writing this, Jack had narrowly gone down to overnight 6-4 7-5. {Jack won his next 2 rounds to reach the semifinal where he lost to eventual winner Dimitrov} Other notable names include two time champion and 2016 winner Roberto-Bautista Agut. However the excitement for me surrounds the next generation of players we have been able to secure. This is the most exciting group of youngsters to come through since Federer, Hewitt, Roddick and Monfils back in the early 2000’s. , Karen Khachanov, Hyeon Chung and Denis Shapovalov all played at the inaugural ATP Next Gen Finals. Chung went undefeated to win the title against Rublev in the final. Make sure you get out and see these young kids. They are future top ten players and between them I am sure there will be a lot of titles. Shapovalov in particular is one of note. He is the youngest person to enter the top 50 since Nadal in 2004, the youngest ever Masters 1000 semi-finalist and has notched up wins over Nadal, Del Potro and Tsonga. Not bad for 18 years old! And we of course will have our own world beater in Mike Venus. I couldn’t be prouder of what Mike has achieved this year. We all know just how hard it is to make it as a tour professional however for Mike to win the doubles at Roland Garros, make the mixed doubles final at Flushing Meadows and qualify for the ATP Tour finals has been unbelievable. He doesn’t get the recognition in he deserves and I will be lobbying hard to make sure he is shortlisted for sportsman of the year at the Halberg Awards. He deserves it. Any way my phone has just rung from an American number. Maybe it is Serena asking for a wildcard…”

2 Other players Karl mentioned for the Classic Tournaments…..

Caroline & David Lauren 2017 Agnieska 2013

John 2010 & 2014 Jack 2017 Roberto 2016

Last newsletter we reported we were trying to arrange for a group from IC to visit in November. In spite of many emails back and forth the visit could not be arranged. Hopefully another time. There are times when our local or overseas based members who are interested in playing in an IC event overseas may be able to combine with members from other clubs to enter a team. We often pass on invitations received, but look at the EVENTS section of the IC Council Website to see what is coming up next year. For instance in next May’s Potter Cup to be held in a maximum of 3 clubs may combine to enter a team.

DAVIS CUP 2018 NZ AND CHANGES: The New Zealand Davis Cup team will face off against in February 2018 (Asia/Oceania Group 1). First round play will be held in China. The winner will face in April. The 2018 Davis Cup was supposed to be an historical edition, but it will be only half what was envisioned. Especially in the zonal Group I and Group II ties, where the ITF is planning to trial the two-day format and best of three-sets rubbers. The trial will include two singles rubbers and the doubles rubber (to be played as best-of- three sets) on the first day and the two reverse singles rubbers to be played on the second day in the zonal Group I and Group II ties. In addition, a change has also been made with regard to playing the fifth rubber. As it currently occurs in the Davis Cup final, the fifth rubber will not be played, either in the World Group and in the zonal Groups I and II, if the result in the fourth rubber determines the result of the tie. If the score of the tie is 3-0 in favour of any team, only the fourth rubber will be played in a best-of-three sets format. 'The two-day, best-of-three-sets trial does not apply to the World Group, which will continue to play ties over three days and best-of-five sets in 2018,' ITF said. But that's not the only new rule. In both the World Group and in the zonal Groups I and II, team selection has been increased to five, from four players. 'We are as determined as ever to enhance our flagship team competitions for players, fans, host nations, broadcasters and sponsors,' ITF President David Haggerty said. 3 News of Members All 3 of our top men players have done very well in the doubles events. As well as Michael’s success, and have won their first team title in . and were runners up in the recent ATP 250 World Tour Open and Marcus was a semi-finalist at the Indoors, an ATP 500 event after coming through qualifying. Their end of season rankings are: Ryan & Mike Michael 15th and as a team with Ryan Harrison 8th. Marcus Daniel 37th and as a team with Marcel Demoliner 15th. Artem finished 55th and in 2 teams his ranking is 23rd with and 40th with Wesley Koohhof. Their next tournaments will probably be the NZ championships in December when they try to win the wild- cards on offer to the ASB Classic singles. Hopefully their rankings will see them all straight in to the doubles event. ………………………………………………….. 85 year old Ashley Wilson hits his highest ranking. International Federation (ITF) statistics show the Kohimarama stalwart now sits fourth in the world in the men’s 85+ category.

The ITF is the same governing body which overseas many major professional tennis events, including the and Wimbledon.

Tennis New Zealand confirmed Wilson as the country's highest ranked player across all gender, age, professional and amateur grades.

Ashley still has a way to go though to be still playing at 102 as this lady is !!

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This year’s Pascoes New Zealand Tennis Championships will concluded on 8th - 9th December 2017. Semi Finals and Finals will be held at the ASB Tennis Arena with earlier rounds taking place at the Albany Tennis Park during that week. ……………………………………….. Tribute to Kevin Woolcott Life Member of Tennis Northern Committee member Kevin received this well deserved tribute recently. As well as being the coach / manager of several IC NZ Trans Tasman and World Finals teams here are some of his achievements. KEVIN WOOLCOTT – Tennis Professional, Coach, Teacher and Mentor Kevin Woolcott is one of the best known tennis names in New Zealand. He has spent a large part of his life playing and coaching tennis, as well as acting in advisory and mentorship roles. Davis Cup Representative 1966 – 67 Played Wimbledon, Italian, Australian majors in the amateur era. NZ hardcourt singles champion Dunedin 1969. NZ National Coach 1983- 89 (BP Tennis Foundation) NZ Federation Cup Captain 1979 , Nagoya 1983 NZ World Youth Cup Coach 1984 – 87 (Now Junior Davis Cup) Coach, International Lawn Tennis Club World Challenge Trophy - winner 2004, winner Auckland 2006 Regional Coach, Tennis North Harbour for eight years (1992 - 2000) Chairman Coaching Association (CANZ) 1991 - 94 (Hillary Commission). Coach Education Coordinator for Tennis New Zealand (1995 - 2000).

4 Kevin continued…. AUT Tennis Northern Coach of the Year 2008 Kevin co-owned “Tennislife Coaching Ltd”, which (2000 – 2013) managed and operated Forrest Hill Tennis Centre. Finalist Westpac Business Enterprise Excellence Awards - Innovation category 2008 TNZ Coach Education facilitator, lecturer 1999- 2005 to present, a member of the TNZ National Coaching Advisory Group, and as such instrumental in the development of the new and current TNZ Coaching Development Framework and Pathways. Life member Upper Hutt Tennis Club 1983.

A ‘life-long learner’, Kevin continues to contribute to numerous on line and physical tennis forums. Post retirement Kevin currently acts as a ‘locum’ coach at several venues around Auckland, and continues his coaching at, and ‘looking after’ Forrest Hill Tennis Centre. Kevin’s paid endeavours are almost matched by his ‘above and beyond’ attitude, where paid and voluntary work blur and in ‘retirement’ combine to form an enduring tennis career and contribution. Voluntary work for activities involving Tennis Northern has included (but no doubt has not been limited to) Working for/on behalf of disabled children wishing to play tennis (Halberg Disability Sports Foundation) Working in the grounds and maintenance to keep the Forrest Hill Tennis Centre fit for purpose Volunteering for Pascoes NZ Tennis Championships, ITF Wheelchair Event, World Masters Games in 2017. Well done Kevin !!

Jana Novotna

We are very sad to hear that Jana Novotna has died at the age of 49 after a long battle with cancer. The former tennis star won the Wimbledon singles title in 1998, as well as 16 doubles and mixed doubles Grand Slams. Known for her brilliant, athletic game, Novotna won 24 WTA singles titles in 14 years on the professional women’s circuit, along with 76 doubles titles. Having reached the Wimbledon singles final twice previously, she famously defeated the Frenchwoman Nathalie Tauziat to win the title in 1998. She also won the WTA Finals in 1997.

However, she is best remembered for her capitulation in the third set The last time many of us of the 1993 Wimbledon singles final. Novotna was 6-7, 6-1, 4-1 up saw Jana was January 2016 against ’s Graf, who had been favourite for the title. when she came to Auckland But the Czech couldn’t dispatch a break point that would have put her a supporting young players. game away from the championship, and Graf came back in emphatic Pictured here with Simon fashion. Davey (my nephew!) The endearing images of the Duchess of Kent consoling a tearful Novotna on Centre Court remain to this day. But two years ago, during her fight with the disease, Novotna told Sport360° that she enjoyed discussing that final. “I think about it all the time. I love it,” Novotna told Sport360.“It’s really funny because a lot of people think that losing to in 1993 was a bad experience. “For me, it was the best thing that happened to my life. “The next day, because of everything that happened during the ceremony and during the match, I opened the newspapers and I was on the front page of every newspaper, I felt like a winner, it really gave me so much publicity. Now it’s something that people remember more than me actually winning Wimbledon.”

5 Drop Shots

Tennis great has died aged 96 from complications of Parkinson's disease at his home in California. Segura went from amateur to barnstorming pro as a player, then became a coach, including of , an eight-time major singles champion. Displaying a blistering two-handed , a keen sense of court strategy and a crowd-pleasing flair, Segura flourished in the two decades preceding the open era, first as an amateur and then as a member of ’s pro tour. " Francisco Olegario Segura was born into poverty in . Childhood rickets bowed his legs. Too weak for soccer, he took to tennis while working as a ball boy at a club in . "I taught myself how to play," Segura told ESPN in 2009. "And I worked at it, day after day, for hours, hitting on the backboard, begging people to play a little bit with me." He developed into a South American champion player. Word reached University of head coach , who recruited him for the school on a scholarship. Segura went on to win the NCAA singles championship three years in a row, from 1943 to 1945. Segura turned pro in 1947 and barnstormed around the world with Kramer and figures like Pancho Gonzalez, , and the Australians , and . He won the prestigious U.S. Pro Tennis Championships singles title each year from 1950 to 1952 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984.

New Zealand link to the Slazenger tennis balls used at Wimbledon . An interesting piece from the Otago Daily Times about the wool used by Slazenger for the Wimbledon tennis balls. Maniototo farmer Adam Lindsay was delighted to learn part of his Perendale wool clip was being smashed around by top tennis players at Wimbledon this year. Specific farm lots of crossbred wool were selected, with a strong focus on colour and cleanliness, as it was ''super critical'' that wool was free of vegetable matter. The UK Daily Mail reported Slazenger was handed up to 140 rolls of material which was wrapped around 54,000 balls for the championships each year. Wool arrived in huge bundles from New Zealand and was blended with nylon and cotton before the threads were spun and woven into a sheet of fabric. The material was then washed and wires dragged across the surface to create the fluffy, felt-like texture. It was vacuumed to remove any moisture, then dyed the distinctive fluorescent yellow, sheared to cut back the fluff and rolled ready to go out to the tennis ball companies. There are several 3 minute videos showing the process, if you google “how tennis balls are made” you’ll see a selection of the fascinating process.

6 Drop Shots continued * and his wife Kim have welcomed their second daughter. No names announced yet. *The Queen has relinquished her role as Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge has replaced her. *The Grand Slam Board have introduced several rule changes for next year. To reduce withdrawals in first round matches, as happened at Wimbledon this year with 7 retirements in the men’s singles, if the players are on site but unfit to play, they will split the prize money evenly with the ‘lucky losers’ who lost in the final qualifying round. The length of the pre -match warm up will also be strictly controlled, and more controversially, it is likely there will be a 25 second shot clock to speed the play after the applause from spectators has died down. The Board is also considering a move back to 16 seeds rather than the 32 introduced a few years ago.

Well known umpire and Pascal Maria has Reddit co-founder retired after Alexis Ohanian were

officiating at 11 married last week in Grand Slam Finals. New Orleans. He plans to work with the French Pictured with their 2 Tennis Federation in month old daughter the future. Alexis Olympia.

Congratulations to Frank Sedgman on his 90th birthday. Frank and Jean have special links with our IC and Frank and the late Athol Tills worked together to set up the first Trans Tasman Junior ties. This led to the formation of the Compass Junior World Challenge matches. Frank is the President of the IC Council. Some of our younger members may not know that Frank won 22 Grand Slam titles between 1948 & 1952, in singles, doubles and mixed. He turned professional in 1953 so was then ineligible to play in the Grand Slams.

7 Drop Shots continued Denis Shapovalov's emergence this season was recognised last week in an on-court ceremony at The O2, with the Canadian teenager receiving two 2017 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moe t & Chandon. Shapovalov was honoured as the Most Improved Player and the ATP Star of Tomorrow presented by Emirates at the end of 's semi-final victory over Roger Federer at the Nitto ATP Finals. . “This is incredible – first of all to be here and to win these awards,” said Shapovalov during the ceremony. “I have worked so hard this year and I hope to be among the Top 8 one year. I will attempt to do everything I can to be here, it would be a dream come true. I definitely want to win an ATP World Tour title next year and finish in the Top 25, if everything goes well.”... The 18-year-old started the year at No. 250 in the Emirates ATP Rankings and moved into the Top 50 last month. Currently at No. 51, last week he competed at the recent inaugural 21-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals in .

I first noticed Shapovalov in 2016 when some of the Wimbledon Junior Boys Singles final was shown on TV. You may have seen these photos in September after he beat Nadal in . Denis first had his photo taken with him as a 9 year old in 2008 ! One of the many young stars coming to Auckland in January!!

Late news re the ASB Classic Last month in the Women’s tournament. in Roger Federer, at After a 12 year gap it seems very least twice, completed likely that Former World No 1 a full game on his serve will return to in less than 1 minute !! play in Auckland. She will be given a wild-card as long as she is able to Game Duration : sort out a custody battle with the 00 Minutes 50 Seconds father of her young son. Victoria won the Australian Singles Title in 2012 and 2013.

Remember to note the date of the 2018 AGM and Dinner, Sunday 20th May . Before then we will enjoy seeing many of you at the two IC morning teas in January. Please send any information or photos you think would interest other members. The headings in the index on Page One are now linked, so you can click on any to go straight to that page. For the Committee. MORE ASB CLASSIC LATE NEWS ! Great news that Juan Martin del Potro and Cecilie [email protected] have been added to the already impressive line up. Well done Karl !!

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