Happy New Year tennis players and Fans!

Well bring on 2011 and let the tennis matches commence! Although tennis is a big part of my life its not without saying that to all readers I wish you and your family good health for the coming year .Keep coming back to my blog for news and pictures of local and world news.Below is a little tongue in cheek picture.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.

Merry Christmas To All

Just taking the opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas no matter where you are in the world. Thanks for visiting my Blog and keep checking for updates.
On this side of the world as I write its Christmas eve around 4.30pm in the afternoon,usually i get that gust of wind with the smell of Christmas on it sending me shivers knowing that Christmas is indeed upon us, this year it has not hit yet maybe because my father cannot be with us here in New Zealand this year still recovering from Heart Surgery, since being here in NZ he has been with us for every Christmas.My mother turns 79 on Christmas Day and that in itself is hard to believe .Happy Birthday Mum, unfortunately she does not use the computer so a phone call will be in order to give her best wishes.My Grandmother is 102 and this year will be her first Christmas she has not spent at home, just her legs cannot get her where she wants to anymore.We were lucky to have her here in New Zealand for Christmas day a few year ago.So Christmas day always turns to thoughts of family at home.


I know for sure that many children will be waking up Xmas morning and finding brand new tennis racquet's in their Santa Sack or gifts under the Christmas tree.Get ready for a wild ride kids if used regular the game of tennis will give you lots of laughs and like me can be with you a lifetime.It will also at times bring you tears as you suffer and learn that winning is not that important more so the fact that you can learn from losses.It is going to take someone to the top of the tree and a future world champion will be unwrapping the paper from their racquet that will take them to the top.Tennis can take you places and teaches you life lessons ,Boy! are you lucky to be recieving a brand new racquet this Christmas .Keep it safe and treat it as your best friend it will respond and take you to where you want to go .Merry Christmas.

Merry Xmas Tournament Video.

I always run a small event leading to Xmas. Participants had to wear a Christmas theme. Lots of fun on the day, We had Pizza for Lunch and the winner of the Christmas Wreath Trophy was 9 years old Duncan Rollinson. Below is a video highlights of the day. 

Whats up - Tennis Australia and Tennis New Zealand

Well as Christmas fast approaches I thought I had better give a spin on whats been happening here at home and across the ditch.Not a lot is my first thoughts,but I will start with some news from Aussie. 


Not so long ago the ugly side of Junior tennis came to the fore with two parents being involved in brawl at Melbourne Park. Here is the link to the story There are mad parents all over the world and New Zealand is not short of them either. Most of these come from making their child live their dream,high expectations in the scheme of things.When i decide to give the coaching side away ,I will put a book out on some of the crazy's I have had to deal with over the years.


Obviously Lleyton Hewitt is asking Santa Claus for a big present he believes he can crack the World's Top 10 again. Does Santa think Lleyton has been a good boy ....me thinks not and just like Santa some people with common sense do not believe in it.LINK 

The other bad boy currently is Bernard Tomic...Australia's next big hope.He withdrew from the recent Australian Open Wild Card tournament stating illness and then was seen a couple of days later hard out in practice.Read the story here

Former Aussie Great John Newcombe has this to say about Tomic

I watched the Wildcard playoffs and was really disappointed when two of the oldest players in the field Marinko Matosevic beat Peter Luczak to win a spot in the Maindraw for the Aussie open.They beat the best of the Aussie youngsters which is really scary for the future of the game in Australia.


The Ladies field was no better with Jelena Dokic going down to youngster Olivia Rogowska in the final.Another veteran trying to relive the past was Alicia Molik who was easily beaten by Dokic in the semi's.My advice retire girls you are never going to scale the heights you scaled years ago.Wasting time and resources Tennis Australia on these players.


So reading between the lines Tennis Australia will be answering more tough questions over the open period on the "state of the game"


Meanwhile closer to home in the land where most "wont play an event for the fear of showing where they really are on the tennis scene", the residential s have just been completed with Katherine Westbury and Artem Sitak taking out the even and recieving qualifying to the big Open tennis in Auckland early January.Leela Beattie who had the best form going into this had a disappointing  loss to Westbury in the Final. Leela has to improve her mental side to have any chance of making it to the next level.Some noticeable omissions from the women's draw , they know who they are and continue to prevail recieving sponsorship and wild cards on hype alone.

Certainly not much to report on the Men's side with players coming off the Australian challenger circuit where they really did not perform.Of course college players Childs and Venus did not play, yet Venus has received a wild card for the Heineken Open.The Final between Sitak and Marvin Barker ...Sitak being Russian and Barker raised in Australia leaves you pondering what I really think of the "state of the game" in New Zealand.

Steve's annual Xmas Tourney

We had a great day at the South Canterbury Tennis Center with my annual Xmas Tourney being held.9 year old Duncan Rollinson took out this year's event with the highest total of games for the day won.It was great to see so many wear a Christmas theme with George Tarbotton pictured bottom right voted the best dressed on the day.Lots of matches were played and all enjoyed a Pizza lunch . Lots of things happening at Tennis South Canterbury where you can be assured you will gain the best coaching in the region.Follow this link to find out further information.

Winning tennis- and a quick post from Aussie

Sorry for the lack of posts, have made a quick trip back to Australia to visit family. Earlier this year my father had major Heart surgery and suffered a stroke during the operation. After extensive recovery its pleasing to report how much he has improved , I went walking with him early this morning when last I saw him he hardly could stand without support, it’s amazing to see his recovery and improvement .I am also taking the opportunity to visit my 102 year old grandmother. Whilst home I always look into my niece’s trophy cabinet and thought I would post some pictures here of a few trophies of many they accumulated from their early junior days 6- 13yrs travelling mostly all over the state of NSW Kirsty and Gabrielle won many age group events. We could not bring them to New Zealand when they moved and now sit at my parents’ house, constant reminders of the commitment and fun we had taking them to tournaments. Yes I guess Dust Collectors but very nice to look back on.

Just speaking about trophies, you can see by the pictures that some are indeed very nice and in comparison to what is given in New Zealand at most Junior tournaments there is not much! I guess its costs I know just the basic trophies in New Zealand are very expensive. Whilst we know that it’s not all about the trophy they are a nice reward for your efforts.