August 25, 2010
Last weekend a group of us went down to Hobart to play the President’s Cup and otherwise enjoy the Hobart Real Tennis Club. We played 12 matches on the Saturday and another 5 on Sunday and I am very pleased to be able to say that the RMTC were victorious by 11 rubbers to 6. Our team consisted of Richard Simpson, Richard Travers, Jeremy and Evelyn Howard, Tim Hurburgh, Paul Wheeler, Henry Turnbull, Iain Buchanan, Anabelle Guest and me with everyone enjoying at least one win. It was very nice to be accompanied by Isabelle Hurburgh, Libby Simpson, Denise Barratt, Helen Wheeler and Caroline Travers. Everyone had a few highlights but particular mentions go to Richard Simpson for his main wall winning gallery shot, Jeremy Howard for anchoring 3 matches with his wrong hand and to Evelyn Howard who was clearly best-on-court in each match she played.
It wasn’t all hard work for the team. On Saturday night we enjoyed what was an important night for the HRTC as we honoured Andrew Kemp in what was a celebration of his becoming an Honorary Life Member of the club. During the evening the past Presidents of the two clubs were asked to tell a story of their most embarrassing moments during their term. Amusing anecdotes were heard from Paul Wheeler, George Casimaty and Warren Boyles. Henry Turnbull claimed that his term was completely without incident but it was Richard Travers who won the Champagne for asking a man, who was playing tennis with a young girl he didn’t recognise, the name of his daughter only to be told that she was his second wife!
Alistair Curley gave a wonderful speech about Andrew Kemp and then Andrew spoke to his heart’s content ignoring first his wife and then his own wise words to keep it short. At one point he said he would like to finish with his regrets of which he had NONE – he then went to sit down before bouncing back up to continue for another 5 minutes. It was all good fun.
Andrew is the patron of the HRTC and on behalf of everyone at the RMTC we’d like to thank him for everything he’s done for the club in making it the generous and hospitable club that it is that so many of us have enjoyed visiting over the years. We would also like to thank John Ramsay (HRTC President) and Barry Toates for hosting and arranging a great weekend and to anyone heading down that way I recommend Sunday lunch at the Meadowbank vineyard on the way to the airport.
Owen Guest
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Posted by The Pros
July 19, 2010
Local teams please take note, it’s now time to let us know your intensions. Would you please fill out the Expression of Interest Form which can be accessed via the link below.
Expression of Interest Form
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Posted by The Pros
July 18, 2010
The cold wet winter has brought out the best in RMTC social activity. On Wednesday, July 14 Bastille Day, Richard Travers delivered a wonderfully enlightening talk on two of the world’s older courts, Suze la Rousse and Pau. Out of the many tit-bits of information it was especially entertaining to hear that at the turn of the 19th century the junior pro at Pau was required to report to the committee any shenanigans the members daughters were getting up to in the Dedans – a requirement that has been passed down and still remains to this day. Afterwards everyone stayed for a feast of Beef Bourguignon and Chocolate Mousse.
On Friday night the club’s convivial atmosphere continued despite the occasion marking the departure of our professional Chris Chapman as he leaves us to take up a position at Hampton Court in England. Chris started work at the RMTC in September 2007 and in that time he has shown himself to be a gentleman and a first class professional. Chris’s game is improving rapidly because of both the support he has received and the work he has put in and so it comes as no surprise that he has been snapped up by an overseas club. We wish him all the best as he takes this next step in his real tennis journey. Over 70 people came to celebrate Chris’s time spent with us at the RMTC and a big thankyou goes out to Lizzie Brown, Helen Wheeler and Julie Baker for making the night the success it was.
Owen
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Posted by rmtcmelb
June 17, 2010
Wednesday 14 July, 2010
The once and future courts – Suze-la-Rousse and Pau
Richard Travers
What better way to celebrate Bastille Day than to hear about these two tennis courts in southern France? The court in Suze is defunct, but the one in Pau, modelled on the courts in the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, may yet free itself from trinquet, and be restored to a proper real tennis court – the members of the Cercle du jeu de paume de Navarre are quietly confident!
The talk will be from 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm in the committee room, and will be followed by dinner for those who wish to stay on to celebrate le quatorze juillet. Please place your name on the signup sheet in the club.
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Posted by The Pros
May 4, 2009
A most impressive attendance of 12 pairs (plus assorted hangers-on) attempted gamely to break J. Hewson’s stranglehold on the highly-prized 100 & Overs trophy on Sunday, but in the end no-one could find a way past the cunning septuagenarian (adequately supported on the day by the club’s vice-president).
Such was Hewson’s bravado and power in the match after the cheese course, some in the dedans suggested that he may have imbibed a little red wine over lunch, thus providing this great gladiator of the court with a chemically-enhanced advantage.
The fallen pair in the final was led by P. Wheeler (and assisted by J. Wheeler), who had himself partnered Hewson to two of his historic 100 & Overs victories, but who could not draw on that experience to find a way past this wily warrior. Wheeler and Wheeler seemed to find some comfort in the thought that Parent & Offspring success might provide something of a counterpoint to this day’s disappointment.
The third of the tournament’s septuagenarians, JVC Guest, did not receive the support he needed from his partner (and blog post author) J. Howard, and did not proceed to the pointy end of the tournament.
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Posted by jphoward
February 26, 2009
The renowned RMTC pizza specialists – Lizzie Brown, Frank Filippelli, and Michael Petruccelli – have been persuaded to put on another of their very popular evenings, on Friday 27 March starting at around 6-00pm.
The evening will be a fundraiser for Dan Williams, Simon Carr and Paul Rosedale who have been selected for the U26 Australian team touring England and America in July, where they will represent us in the inaugural George Limb Trophy at Lord’s in London, and then attempt to regain the Clothier Cup in Newport, Rhode Island.
The cost is $20 per person, with an (initial) limit of 60 spots. Please sign up at the club or call the pro-shop.
See you there.
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Posted by rmtcmelb
