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Home , Alex Antonitsch, ANZ Premiership, Brad Drewett, Italian Open (tennis), Michael Venus (tennis), National Bank Cup

July 2017

President Des Shaw [email protected] AGM and Annual Dinner May 2017

Hon Treasurer Paul Thomson [email protected] New IC Council Brochure Paris Council Report

Hon Sec. Angela Hart [email protected] Membership NZ

Editor Cecilie McIntyre [email protected] Subscriptions News of Members Link to IC Council website www.ictennis.net Blast from the Past Drop Shots PS. .

AGM 61st ICNZ AGM and Dinner May 2017 This was very well attended by over 70 members and partners. Greg Long introduced member Simon Rea and conducted a very interesting Q & A session. Simon is a former top ranked NZ player, coach of , and is now in a fulltime role at Tennis NZ as high performance director.

IC Brochure and new website links All NZ members, and those living overseas who confirmed their postal addresses when we asked, have been posted a copy of the new brochure. It is also possible to read it on line. Click here . To celebrate the launch of the new IC website, a prize draw is being held in return for some website feedback.

Please visit the new IC Council website— http://www.ictennis.net, have a look around, and leave your name, email address and any feedback you may have. There will be some great prizes including; a £50 Nike Voucher, £50 Amazon voucher, tennis accessories and more. These will be posted accordingly or distributed to your IC nation's member at the AGM. Committee member John Mills is representing our IC at the Council AGM on the middle Sunday of Wimbledon this year.

When you open the website scroll down and on the right side, click on the NZ IC Flag OR ANY OTHER FLAG, to read that country’s noticeboard. This way you can read our previous newsletters back to July 2014 when I changed to using Publisher for these.

1 A Message from President Des Shaw.

I attended the IC Council Meeting at Roland Garros on 29-30th May. Here are some of the matters that were discussed and may be of interest. IC Junior Challenge. As a result of the IC Philanthropy programme in Ethiopia a competitive team will be selected to participate in the IC Compass Junior Challenge to be held in South Africa. The cost of their travel would be met from IC Bahamas and IC Germany with limited help from the Council. Accounts. These were discussed and will be presented at the AGM. Photo sent by Isabelle Crudo who toured New Donors. here with the French IC team . IC Japan had secured two new donations of USD 10,000. IC Mexico is getting support to fund their teams travel to the IC Junior Challenge. The major sponsor at the IC Junior Challenge is the Compass Group and it is expected that their substantial funding will continue for the next six years. IC Week Berlin. Thirteen teams will be participating in the Windmill Trophy. Germany, Gt Britain, , Luxembourg, Belgium, Ireland, The Netherlands, Canada, USA, Mexico, Denmark, Switzerland, and Slovenia. Eight teams have entered in the Mercelis Trophy. Germany, Great Britain,Canada, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Ireland and The Netherlands. The German team will be very strong, all ranked ATP players and a former winning player. Other Events. Future IC weeks. The next IC week will be organized by the IC of France in Le Touquet, probably during the second week of September 2019. IC weeks are scheduled to take place in Belgium in 2020 and In the UK in 2024 when the IC of Great Britain will celebrate its 100th Anniversary. Potter Cup. This event would be played in Spain during 1-4 of June 2017. Seven teams were signed up for the men's event and four teams for the ladies event. (Check the Council website for these results) IC Compass Junior Challenge. The qualifying rounds will be played in Belgium, Uruguay, Sth Africa, India and Mexico. The Worldwide Final will be played in Japan 6-13 October, 2018. The US IC versus the ICs from the rest of the world. This is planned for 5-6 March 2018 at Palm Springs. There have been expressions of interest from former US pro players in participating. This would also include attendance at the Indian Wells Tournament. Web Site. Everyone agreed that the new web site was a great improvement. (Have you looked at it yet???!!) IC Philanthrophy. IC Philanthrophy is a registered charity and is a very important IC programme. Marion Bartoli winner of Wimbledon 2013 is patron and ambassador. Look at the latest IC brochure for more information.

Footnote. Jeannette and I attended a number of functions at Roland Garros including the French IC cocktail party. We were given a special welcome back having been unable to attend in 2015 and 2016. About a hundred and fifty attended and we met a number of the touring French IC players who came to in early 2015. We were pleased to see and able to talk to Karl Budge and Martin Colenbrander while watching one of the big games. The security around Roland Garros was highly visible with many police and security people out on the street where bags were inspected and once again as we entered the grounds. At this point we were given wrist bands allowing us to enter Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen Courts. We saw a lot of top players in action. Clay is a wonderful surface to watch tennis being played with longer rallies and a greater variety of shots. Roland Garros is currently undergoing a substantial upgrade estimated to cost four hundred million Euros. 2 Membership We are very keen to ensure that we have recommendations from all over NZ for new members. If any of you have a suggestion for a person, whom you consider qualifies as either a Member or an Honorary Member of our club, please send the name of that person to Angela Hart, who will forward it on to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, Lynette Duncan. Remember that you must not approach that person before sending their name on, as there is a process for nominations to go through prior to being invited into the club. Members qualify if they are NZ citizens, have been ranked in the top 10 in NZ, or won a NZ residential title, or have had an ATP or WTA ranking. Honorary members qualify if they are NZ citizens, have competed in an International event with distinction, or have given valuable service to International aspects of tennis in NZ.

Two new Honorary Members were introduced during the recent AGM and Dinner evening.

John Lawrence is a current member of Blockhouse Bay tennis club playing in the successful Caro Bowl Reserve teams over the last few years and being a reserve for the Caro Bowl team. He was previously a member of the Howick tennis club playing at top level also for them. John participates regularly in national and international Seniors tournaments being runner up in this year’s 2017 World championships doubles in the Over 50 age group and is the current national titleholder in the Men's Over 55 doubles and runner up in John Peter national Over 55 singles. He has also been a valued volunteer for Tennis Auckland being a selector for 15 years. John is also a Trustee for the Western Area Tennis Trust, a body set up at the Blockhouse Bay tennis club to establish and manage indoor courts for the club and the public alike. Peter Stokes is a current member of the Blockhouse Bay tennis club playing in several winning Caro Bowl Reserve teams at the club. Like John he also participates successfully in Senior events nationally and internationally recently partnering John to success in the national Senior events and in being runner up in the a World Over 50 doubles. Peter also volunteers for Tennis Auckland having been a selector for 7 years and currently being a member of the Judicial Committee a position he has held for the last 8 Years.

A new CEO for Tennis NZ Tennis has appointed experienced sports administrator Julie Paterson as its new chief executive. At the helm of the Northern Zone and Mystics franchise for the past five years, Paterson was eager for a new challenge presented by Tennis NZ as they try to establish a new strategy of developing the game. “They’re focused on the next stage of their development as a sport nationally and that's a really exciting time to be involved," Paterson said. “I see this as an opportunity to take all of the learnings I've had and apply them to a different sporting environment and that will be a refreshing change for me professionally. Tennis NZ Board chair Celia Patrick said they were delighted to secure someone of Paterson's experience after undertaking an extensive search for a new chief executive. With more than 11 years' experience in sports leadership, Paterson is no stranger to change having featured in the , the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship and the new domestic ANZ Premiership during her time in netball. Extremely passionate about progressing women's sport, in 2015 Paterson was selected for the US Department of State and espnW Global Sports Mentoring Programme – one of the world's most sought-after female sport leader's professional development opportunities. She went on to co- found Women in Sport Aotearoa, New Zealand's first national advocacy organisation for women and girls in sport launched earlier this year. Julie will begin her new role on July 24 and ICNZ wish her well.

3 Angela emailed or posted the subscription notices several weeks ago. Thanks to those who have sent these to Paul , BUT if you have forgotten PLEASE action it now. You will see there are now 2 choices of payment if you are 70 or over.

The form was with the original but not here ….YOU know what to do !! Thank you.

You only need to set up the direct credit system once , then easy to use each year.

Tennis NZ Good news coming out of the Tennis NZ office. Jamie Tong has been leading discussions with the Coaching Advisory Group. IC members David Frank and Kevin Woolcott are part of the discussions and planning for improved coach education, coach courses and the alignment of career pathways for coaches. Information can be found on the TennisNZ website. Strategic Planning workshops have also been held with input from all regions. Tennis has an amazing number of passionate people keen to see the future of tennis go forward.

IC members who are part of this group are Celia Patrick, Simon Rea, Lan Bale, David Frank, Kevin Woolcott and GD Jones.

On the touring front, members Marcel Vos and Lan Bale are now in Europe with our talented juniors.

4 News of Members

Michael Venus has ended a Kiwi tennis drought that spanned 38 years after clinching men's doubles success at the in Paris. Venus and his American partner held their nerve to win a final at Roland Garros that lasted more than two hours. Ryan said Michael has been his best friend since he was 8 years old, and was his groomsman recently. He couldn't be happier. Their 7-6 6-7 6-3 defeat of American and Mexican Santiago Gonzalez meant Venus and Harrison needed three sets to win all six of their matches at the tournament. Venus hardly looked fatigued after Gonzalez hit the ball long on match point, delightedly throwing his racquet in the air and embracing good friend Harrison. The 29-year-old is the first New Zealand grand slam winner since Judy Chaloner won the women's doubles at the 1979 , alongside Australian Diane Evers Brown. The last man to achieve the feat was , with Australian in the 1974 French Open men's doubles. The previous Kiwi finalist was at Wimbledon in 1983, which he lost to American great John McEnroe. It is a seventh tour title for Venus and his second alongside close friend Harrison, with whom he played several events early in his career.

Marina Erakovic has fought hard to get through 3 rounds of qualifying for Wimbledon. After losing the first set of her first match, and taking 14 minutes to clinch the game at 5/3 in the second set to even the scores, Marina did not lose another set. Her reward will be a first round match with 2nd seed . Marina has a history of upsetting players ranked well above her so we hope she can outplay Simona early this week . Her coach is IC member Wesley Whitehouse who was there to help her along with her mother Liliana.

The smile that says...I’m into the main draw of Wimbledon again!

Marcus Daniell and regular doubles partner Marcello Demoliner recently lost to the in a close 3 set match in the 2nd round at Stuttgart after a very good first round win at this top level. Last month Marcus won the final of a challenger level doubles at Surbiton with a Pakistani partner, Aisam Qureshi. reached the semifinal of that event and all 3 top NZ men will be playing in the Wimbledon Doubles. continues his success in Asian and US tournaments in the ITF Pro Circuit and Ben McLachlan has had doubles successes at that level as well.

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Blast from the Past Malcolm Elley After 15 years living and working in Singapore Malcolm has been back in NZ with his family for 5 years and is making a valuable contribution on the committee. This photo shows the cover of a German tennis magazine in 1981 after won the women’s singles and Malcolm won the men’s singles at a small tournament in Mannheim, Germany. Steffi was only 12 years old!. At the time Malcolm was playing for a German club in the same team as Stephen Temple. Stephen was back in NZ from Hong Kong where he lives and came to watch the Davis Cup match against Korea.

Drop Shots IC Australia has been invited to play against us in early November and they have ac- cepted this invitation. They are contacting their members to make them aware of this fixture and gauge avail- ability. No further definite details are available at present but we will "keep you posted".

Maria Sharapova is skipping the grasscourt season and did not try to qualify for Wimbledon because she has not recovered from an injured left thigh. The five-time major champion and former No 1-ranked player announced that “an additional scan” showed the muscle tear she got at the will not allow her to return to competition yet. “I will continue to work on my recovery,” she said .

Still smiling ! In his first grass court match, after skipping the clay court season lost first round in Stuttgart to his old friend , who is playing his final year on the circuit.

Elaine Stephen played in the World Masters Games in Auckland in the over 80 section. Pictured here with Jeff Sowter.

If you have any news to share with our members please send it to me anytime. Enjoy the overnight watching coming up from Wimbledon. This year it is only showing on TV 1 & Duke which is Channel 23 for most of us. For the committee,

Cecilie McIntyre [email protected]

6 Peter Doohan. PS This newsletter was ready to send when I was made aware of an interesting but very sad article by Courtney Walsh, Sports Reporter for The Australian newspaper last weekend. Peter had connections with NZ tennis in the early 1980’s being hosted in the summer tennis season in Auckland by the Robinson family and being a very popular visitor.

As Wimbledon unfolds over the next fortnight, an Australian with a remarkable footnote in tennis history will be quietly contemplating his moment of triumph at the All England Club. Three decades on from a performance that stunned the tennis world, Peter Doohan is finalising his affairs in Nelson Bay in the midst of a battle that will prove beyond him. As the world’s best vie for ­tennis’s most prestigious championships, the 56-year-old will be hoping for a moment of meditation overlooking the Hunter ­region beach. The popular Australian, who was dubbed “The Becker Wrecker” after he stunned two-time ­defending champion at Wimbledon in 1987, announced in May a diagnosis of motor ­neurone disease. A particularly aggressive form of the illness has already stolen Doohan’s speech and severely restricted his mobility, devastating for those who remember the agility, dash and power “the Bear” boasted on court, particularly on that magic June day 30 years ago.

In a brief text message exchange with The Weekend Australian this week, the former world No 43 said he fatigued quickly, could no longer talk and that his “life expectancy is very short” But the Newcastle-raised serve and volleyer, who earned fame with the upset of Becker amid a sound collegiate and professional career, wanted to thank the tennis community that has rallied around him since the diagnosis. , who credits Doohan’s upset of Becker for helping him win Wimbledon in 1987, has been in regular contact and ­recently spoke of his despair at his mate’s plight. Former Davis Cup captains and have also been in touch with ­Doohan, who was unbeaten when representing Australia in the revered competition. The International Tennis Club of Australia will host a tribute and fundraising night for the right- hander at Kooyong on the night of the Wimbledon men’s final on July 16.

Frank Sedgman, the 1952 Wimbledon champion who is a stalwart of the IC Club, is among those donating memorabilia for auction. When Doohan left for aged 17 with “no money, no coach … on his own with only a suitcase” and a dream, his elder sister Cathie remembers her heart breaking. It is breaking again as she and her husband Ashley Roff, who are acting as his carers, assist him in his battle with MND, which also claimed the life of Doohan’s playing peer and former ATP president in 2013. “It has shattered the family,” she said.

“Mum is 89 and quite frail, so we are in a situation where we have struggled to get them to see each other. “He has spent a lot of the last few weeks getting things in order and it is a massive job.” As difficult as the life sentence that is an MND diagnosis has been, it has evoked some brilliant memories and sparked some beautiful moments, the Roffs said. They have been stunned by the contact they have re­ ceived from the University of Arkansas. Former teammates of Doohan have reported that the Aussie is a legend in Fayetteville, the third largest city in Arkansas, and Little Rock after representing the university in the prestigious NCAA competition. Doohan made history by winning the NCAA doubles championship in 1982. The deed was recently recalled in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and is a member of the University’s Hall of Honour.

His sons John, 26, and Hunter, 23, travelled to Australia after the diagnosis for what “was a special two weeks for Peter”, Cathie Roff said. An electric wheelchair provided by the MND Association has proven a positive, allowing “him to take control and get out on his own steam to meditate” overlooking Nelson Bay. Doohan’s professional career was sound. As wonderful as the win over Becker was, the Australian was far from a one-match wonder. Twice a Wimbledon doubles semi-finalist, he also reached the final of the Australian Open doubles final with Lau­ rie Warder in 1987, only to be beaten by Swedish champions and Anders Jarryd. He won an ATP singles title in Adelaide, reached the last 16 at Wimbledon and the Australian Open and had success in events such as the Australian Hardcourt Championships.

7 But it is his wrecking of Becker — who had become the youngest ever Wimbledon champion at 17 and then defended the title by thrashing in 1986 — that marks Doohan’s spot in tennis history. As it became clear Doohan was picking Becker’s serve better than he had in an earlier defeat at Queen’s Club, the bush telegraph exploded in Australia from his native Newcastle to Adelaide and beyond. “Peter’s family were all home in Australia and mum and dad had a phone call in the middle of the night telling them to get up and watch halfway through the second set,” Cathie Roff said. “They rang us in Adelaide but (after he lost the second set), we thought, ‘He has had a good run at it. Boris is going to wake up now’.” But as Becker later said after the 7-6 4-6 6-2 6-4 stunner, “I did not think that he would play like this.” “I think I’m a better player than he is, but he was like magic, guessing everything I would do,’’ he said. It was a magical moment, no doubt, so much so that The Newcastle Herald ranked it fourth in a 2014 series on the 101 great Hunter moments, even ahead of the inception of Doohan’s beloved Newcastle Knights. “What surprised Boris was that I kept it up for four sets, but to tell you the truth, I didn’t look past Becker to see who I would play in the next round,” he said.

“I have to prove to everybody this is not a once-in-a-lifetime thing, that they would never hear from Peter Doohan again. I don’t blame them for thinking that way.’’ Thirty years down the track, peers around the globe are thinking of Doohan. He is keeping abreast of news from Wimbledon and messages from those mates while also catching up with an odd highlight or two of his own career on YouTube. In assessing his brother-in-law’s career and achievements, Ashley Roff opted for a line from American musician Jimmy ­ Buffett. “Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic, but (Pete has) had a good life all the way,” he said. That is in tune with some of Doohan’s final public words. “What a life I’ve had. No regrets,” he said. ………………………………………………………………………………………... I am adding a little background to this article in The Australian. Peter has told of how close he was to losing his first round match that year by providing some extra insight on some “interesting days that shook the Ivy thirty years ago at Wimbledon.” I almost didn't get to play Becker as I barely scraped through my first round match against the big Austrian, Alex Antonitsch. We were locked at two sets all on that first Monday evening and going serve for serve in that fifth set. It was about 9pm and we were the last match still on court. I went ahead 8 games to 7 after I held serve at 7 games all in the fifth set. At the change of ends the referee came on court and said, "Boys, it's getting dark but we have to finish on an even number of games. So Alex will serve one more game." I mustered all the emotional and physical energy I possibly could at that stage with the incentive of knowing that If I could break his serves that I could go home and relax without having to worry about coming back the next day to fight out a victory. As luck would have it I played a brilliant game and broke his serve and had my first round victory at 9-7 in the fifth set. Then it rained for three days but I doubt Boris was worried about me in the second round because not only had I just scraped through the first round but Boris had beaten me two weeks earlier at the tournament at Queens Club in West London. The question was how to beat Becker, a man who had never lost at Wimbledon and who had won in 1985 and 1986. Just so happens that my coach Michael Fancutt had noticed a trend emerging from the big German's game in my loss two weeks prior. Becker only hit his backhand volley to my backhand corner of the court. So Michael told me to try and return everything to Becker's backhand volley and automatically run to my backhand corner and wait on his volley shot. Sure enough in the match this strategy worked like a charm and I was able to break him three times in the match, plus the fact that I was serving well and only got broken once myself and I had my famous victory. Two days later in the third round I was still tired from the emotion of that upset win and fell behind in my match to American, Leif Shiras by two sets to love and actually faced a match point in the third set. Somehow I was able dig deep and feed off the overwhelming support for the underdog Aussie and rally back into the match. Then after some four and a half hours I had another victory, this time 12-10 in the fifth set. The next day I found myself in the fourth round of Wimbledon (last 16) against a big Yugoslav "Bobo", Becker's double partner. I was physically spent and he was fresher and too strong on the day. He beat me in straight sets. ……………………………………………………………………………. With acknowledgement for the first part of this to The Australian and Courtney Walsh. There is a little more from Peter about that amazing week, if you would like to read it please email me. Cecilie

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