JUNE 2021 President Cecilie McIntyre [email protected] Page 1 –3 May Dinner & AGM and Hamilton Hon Secretary Angela Hart [email protected] Page 4 ACE Charity Auction Vice President Russell Tills [email protected] News of Members : Page 5 Dame Ruia Morrison Hon Treasurer Chris Ronayne [email protected] Page 6 Chris Ronayne’s Book & Parnell TC Anniversary Link to IC Council website www.ictennis.net Page 7 Touring Players Have a look through this website and click the flags to Page 7-11 Dropshots see news of the other countries. Page 13 Wimbledon TV and Subscriptions After no interaction since January 2000, we have managed two enjoyable activities in May. The Brian Woolf trophy was played for in Hamilton with 18 IC members playing and many supporters enjoying a beautiful autumn day. Thanks to Peter Stokes and Sam Dean and others who helped organise this. After holding last year’s Annual General Meeting by zoom and having to cancel the dinner in May and again in September, it was extra special to hold the 65th AGM and dinner in Auckland on the 16th of May . We had 116 members and guests and several new members were introduced.. Matt Brown, a well-known and enthusiastic tennis broadcaster was our guest speaker, talking about how he was first attached to the Davis Cup team and some of his experiences as the English language commentator at Roland Garros. Unfortunately the Covid restrictions and quarantine requirements pre- prevented him from going again this year. It has been hard to share the photos from both events, most of which have been taken by Feleti so we have some of them as collages to give you an idea of the friendly functions we have held. Please email Cecilie if you would like a copy of any of these photos by themselves. 1 One of the joys of the IC ...Judy Chaloner was new member Troy Tipene’s first coach and they were so Matt Brown with Greg Long. pleased to see each other again. The Sedgman-Tills Trophy and the Brian Woolf Cup with the IC Brochures. Angela & Pam helping before the meeting. One of the ideal aspects of the bowling club lounge is to hold the AGM at one end then move to the other for the Dinner. 2 Photos from the internal IC match played at Hamilton early May. 3 Special Auction In 2018 an initiative by the Committee established a Philanthropy section of ICNZ, similar to many other IC clubs. The ACE Programme was developed which seeks to help disadvantaged children with life skills through tennis tuition. The ACE Charitable Trust has been established so that funding and expenses for this programme are separate from the ICNZ bank account. At our recent AGM, at the conclusion of a video presentation about ICNZ's ACE Programme, committee member Don Turner showed the pairs of new tennis shoes Cameron Norrie had donated. Don spoke of Cameron’s first coach Julia Sim at the Bucklands Beach Tennis Club being responsible for him changing to play left handed. Cameron has also donated some of his playing shorts and shirts which will be given to some of the children participating in the ACE Programme. His shoes were auctioned and raised over $1400. These proceeds will go to the ACE Charitable Trust. A huge thank you to Cameron for his generosity and to our members who have also donated to the ACE Charity Trust. Incidentally, Cameron was runner up to Matteo Berrettini in the cinch Queen’s Club Championship this week. His 4 wins included beating 2nd seed Denis Shapovalov in the semi-final, 7/5 6/3. Obituary Graham Johns. We are sorry to report the passing of Graham Johns, who was our IC Honorary Secretary from 1991 to 1994, and Honorary Treasurer from 1992 to 1994. He was New Zealand junior doubles winner with John A Barry in 1945-46 and a Life Member of the Eden Epsom Tennis and Squash Club. Graham and Zaira joined in several trips which our club made to Asian and South American countries. The photos on the right were taken in India in January / February 1989. Jeannette & Des Shaw with Graham at the 2018 IC Dinner. We were pleased Graham’s daughter Rebecca and son Chris were able to join us at last month’s AGM & Dinner. Peter Wilson, Gerda McGechan, Stuart Lugton, Athol Tills, Graham had several vintage Grantley Judge, tennis rackets and his family Zaira Johns, have asked that these be sold Graham Johns, and the proceeds will go the Jan Judge, Tom ACE Charity Fund, a very nice Lusk , Brian Woolf gesture. John Lockington. 4 . News of Members Congratulations to tennis trailblazer Ruia Morrison who has been appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to the sport. In 1960 she was awarded the MBE. Ruia was the New Zealand Open singles champion six times between 1956 and 1964 and she won the NZ Doubles and Mixed Doubles eight times. She also beat the great Australian Margaret Court in the final of the NZ Invitation Tournament in 1960. In that Invitation Tournament in 1959 our Patron Jeff Robson won the Men’s final against another great Australian player, Roy Emerson. Roy won 12 Grand Slam singles titles …so that was a wonderful time for two of our IC Members who are still going strong! In 1957 Ruia competed in the Wimbledon championships, becoming the first Māori person to do so. She returned to compete another 3 times to take on the world's best, becoming a favourite of both fans and players, twice reaching the last 16 (the 4th round). Ruia was awarded Life Membership of Aotearoa Māori Tennis Association in 2001 and of Tennis New Zealand in 2014. She has been a member of ICNZ since 1993. In one of her interviews last week she remarked on the mentors who opened doors for her saying, “And as the quote says ‘Friends across the net are friends across the ocean’ International tennis players are wonderful people.” Ruia at our 2013 morning tea with Betty Kay, Dawn Rocca, Pat Guiney, Ruia with Kevin Woolcott and the late Heather the late Bill Tinnock, Judy Tinnock and Elaine Stephan. Robson in 2016. On Ruia’s first trip to Wimbledon Heather was The 4 ladies on the right in this photo were all trailblazers asked to be her chaperone and they played who played at Wimbledon. doubles together too. Ruia in 1957-60. Pat in 1958 and 59, Judy in 1954 and Elaine in 1956. Heather had also played singles there in 1954. Aotearoa Maori Tennis worked with Ruia and the team at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei on the creation of the Ruia Morrison korowai, presented to the winner of the ASB Classic Women's singles title. Serena Williams won this in January 2020, her only tournament win since 2017. Congratulations Ruia on this much deserved achievement. 5 Our Hon Treasurer, Chris Ronayne, has been a busy man over the last few years researching the history of the Herne Bay Ponsonby Rackets Club. It all came to fruition with the launch to a large gathering in the Herne Bay Clubhouse in late May. A number of IC members were present to witness what is the delivery of only the third centenary book produced by an Auckland tennis club. Eden Epsom’s was the first book, having commenced in 1886, then followed Remuera, starting in 1907. Herne Bay began in 1910, although by this time there were many clubs operating throughout the country. The popularity of tennis in New Zealand in those years is unsurprising, when one recalls Anthony Wilding winning four Wimbledon Singles titles, and with Norman Brookes winning the Davis Cup for Australasia on three occasions. Hopefully, more historical records may follow before the source documents possibly disappear and older members pass on with their memories untold. Well done Chris ! Parnell Lawn Tennis Clubs 150 year Celebrations. On the weekend of 19-21 February 2022 we will be celebrating our Club’s 150th year Anniversary. This is a huge occasion for us as a club, not only are we turning 150 years, we are the second oldest existing tennis club in the world, so you can see how exciting it is for members, past and present. Over the weekend we will be hosting an exhibition match, social play, a black tie dinner, a Wimbledon whites tournament on the Sunday followed by a cocktail party to finish off the celebrations. We have an organising committee already on the task of pulling this together and would love to contact past members of the club and friends to be added to the mailing list. If you are interested in adding yourself or anyone else you think might like to attend please send us your name, email address and cell phone number. The PLTC would love to see you there. Please email: Julie Turner, [email protected] Lew Gerrard, 5 times NZ singles winner and Davis Cup A couple of old Parnell TC photos from our ICNZ archives. star in the 1960’s coaching youngsters at Parnell. Can you recognise Alan Chester, Brian Woolf, Lew Gerrard, Kevin At least 3 of them (plus Lew) are now IC members ! Long, Betty Kay, Pam Long, and Jill Bignell !! 6 NEWS OF MEMBERS continued Michael Venus and his new doubles partner Tim Puetz reached the semi- finals of the doubles on grass in Halle. Matt Brown speaks to our players around the world frequently.