The Royal Melbourne Tennis Club Newsletter – May 2009
Forthcoming Events:
May 16/17 – Exhibition Street Cup May 22 – Empire Day Breakfast
May 23/24 – Sherwood Cup May 30 – 2nd Quarterly Medal
June 8 – Queen’s Birthday H’cap Doubles June 13/15 – Alan Hamer Doubles
RMTC News – Owen Guest
RMTC World Championship Fund
Organisation for next year’s World Championship gathers pace and while we are on the topic could I please ask all RMTC members to read the flyer within this month’s newsletter regarding the RMTC’s World Championship Fund. Some of the games leading players overseas have the benefit of financial assistance from varying sources of patronage. With this in mind the RMTC with the assistance of you all would like to provide Chris Chapman and Ruaraidh Gunn with some support towards their respective challenges in 2010 and beyond. Funds raised will go primarily towards paying their training costs which have already been reduced thanks to the generous support of Nadine Amesz their personal trainer (she is also training a number of members with great results, please ask the pros for her contact details if you are interested in hiring her expertise). This is a great way to support our pros as well as the game and your club. Donations can be made in a tax deductible manner – please read the enclosed flyer for details.
Later in the year Chris and Rozza will entertain us with exhibition matches and updates on their progress.
Message – Don’t Shoot the Messenger
Last month Andrew reminded everyone to please keep their accounts in credit. Could we also please remind everyone that if you have a problem of some sort, whether it is disagreement over your late payment penalty or an area of club policy, you should address your complaint to the committee rather than to Frank or Robyn. Thankyou.
April/May Tennis
ANZAC Day Trophy – Julian Snow
Eight pairs contested this event, ranging from Tony Miach off a 30 handicap through to players in the mid-sixties. There was plenty of competitive tennis with all pairs winning at least one match.
In the end, the day was a triumph for the Pessall/Page household. In the semi-final matches, Lee Pessall, paired with Vince Scopelliti, readily defeated the experienced pairing of Steve Wood and Peter Stanley, while Julia Page and Natalie Tricarico held their nerve to edge out Julie Davies and Fiona Hewson by a single point.
Many spectators felt that Lee would do the right thing, and allow domestic dominance (Ed. – Did you mean bliss? Hmm no, I think you meant dominance.) to continue, but he clearly harboured thoughts of an entirely different nature; Vince and Lee were unrelenting in the final, winning 6-0. They served extremely tightly, never allowing the ladies into the rallies on an even keel, and then Vince, in particular, played some very solid ground shots.
It was an entirely successful day for Lee Pessall, who had started (pre-tournament) with a win in the John Poolman Trophy.
100 Years and Over – Jeremy Howard
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 (May 3rd), 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 tournament scribe) J. Howard, and did not proceed to the pointy end of the tournament.
RMTC’s Top 20 Singles Handicaps:
+10.0 Ruaraidh Gunn (Pro)
+8.5 Julian Snow
+5.0 Frank Filippelli (Pro)
+4.0 Michael Happell
3.0 Mark Sayer
4.4 Paul Tabley (Pro)
4.5 Chris Sievers
5.6 Chris Chapman (Pro)
6.9 Jonathan Howell (Pro)
9.2 Bret Richardson
9.9 Marc Benkemoun (Pro)
10.1 Tim Heughan (former Pro)
10.7 Jonnie Davies
13.3 Richard Allen
13.4 Peter Estcourt
13.5 Richard Hince
15.3 Owen Guest
15.4 Jonathan Hamer
16.0 Kate Leeming (Pro)
16.0 James Merrett
Here and There – Mike Garnett
Dutch Real Tennis
The enthusiastic Dutch real tennis players have been court-less forever, and are keen to resurrect the 1560’s court at Huis ter Kleef in the City of Haarlem so that they can reciprocate the generosity that they have received from so many clubs. They have the permission, enthusiasm and plans to carry out the refurbishment – all they need is a minor injection of funds to make it all happen. Their co-ordinator Patrick Reuser would like to know if anyone at RMTC has a lazy 1,200,000 euros to spare – if so please contact Patrick on reuser@euronet.nl
Movements
After a successful sojourn at Prested Hall, Ricardo Smith has left to become a touring professional. His position has been taken by Matt Potter, leaving Adrian Kemp as the assistant. Prested owner Mike Carter would like it known that his club boasts, beside the two tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, clubrooms, lawn tennis courts and quality accommodation. Tennis players from down-under are always welcome. For further information contact Mike on mike.carter@prested.com
Exhibition Street Court
After prolonged discussions with Melbourne City Council, approval was finally obtained to site a bronze plaque in the pavement in front of the original entrance to the old court. Approval was only obtained after it was conceded that the royal tennis club played a substantial role in the early history of Melbourne society. The original façade was of late-Victorian architecture (1882) and therefore considered to be worthy of this honour, something that is not given lightly.
Without any fanfare, this plaque was embedded mid-April, and so the site is now forever remembered as the original location of tennis on mainland Australia. It is estimated approximately twenty current members only would recall this old court. Those wishing to see the plaque, proceed along Exhibition Street towards Victoria Street. The plaque is sited on the western side of Exhibition Street near the corner of Grant Lane – in front of Mantra on the Park which is where the tennis court stood for over ninety years.
500 Years On …
Our artistic member of H.A.L.P. Mike Lindell reminds us that June 24th is the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s coronation which, amongst other minor matters of state, commenced his huge tennis-court building program at his many palaces. Sadly the court at Hampton Court Palace is the only remaining legacy of this famous monarch’s tenyse pleye.
The Ashes at Leamington
This elegant gentleman’s club that dates from 1846 has arranged a special week-end of tennis celebrations to mark its transformation to ‘open membership’. It will be a weekend of tennis, exhibitions, dinners and auctions. It is billed as The Ashes of 1846. A fee of £125 will cover the exhibition matches and supper, tournament, playing shirt, marker’s fees, dinner and wine (great value!) This club is always welcoming of Melbourne visitors, so if anyone is in ‘the old dart’ during the week-end 24-26 July 2009, please contact Norman Hyde on normandihyde@btinternet.com
Out of Court
Having played tennis on the open court at Falkland Palace for five hundred years without dramas, someone unfortunately tossed a ball over the top hitting a child who was in the gardens. The result – red tape gone mad, and tennis has effectively ceased at this lovely old venue. If anyone from down-under would like a game however, may we suggest you contact Simon Sanders simonzoe@tesco.net who may be able to obtain special dispensation to give you a hit. They have VERY happy memories of Melbourne hospitality during their Boomerang visits.
