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 Australia 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 France 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 Auckland. 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 Tennis 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. ********************************** 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: grand slam tennis player, Davis Cup 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 Paris 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 Artem Sitak 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 Philippe Chatrier, has been renovated for the 2019 French Open, which takes place from May 26 to June 9, before it is equipped with a retractable roof for the 2020 tournament.