2026 vintage club championships

This year’s 0ver 60s Vintage Championships are done and dusted with some brand new names to join the Club’s Honour Boards.

Congratulations to Dave Hogan who at 60 was eligible to enter this year for the first time and he came out swinging, taking both the Men’s Singles trophy and the Men’s Doubles trophy with partner Roger Fulton.  It’s the first Club Championship win for both Dave and Roger so a great result for them both.

David Balkin also had a terrific tournament being runner-up in the Men’s Singles after a close tussle with Dave and going one step further to win the Mixed Doubles event with partner Jane Frost.  A shout out to Jane, who on receiving her winner’s trophy in the official presentation, promptly dropped it and smashing it into many pieces.  The Committee have removed presentation rights from Roger and he is busy organising a replacement to be handed over well away from the tiles.

In the Ladies Doubles, Chrissie Camp and Lyndee Hyde made it five years in a row again comfortably taking out the title yet again – well done ladies.   

Given it’s the Vintage Championship, there was no shortage of strains, minor niggles, knee and elbow braces, muscle soreness and Voltaren, anti-inflammatories and goodness knows what else in ready supply.  Comparison was rather cruelly made to the recent Enhanced Games!  

In all seriousness, thanks to all the members who competed this year. There was some terrific high-quality tennis on display.  Special mention to our wonderful Andrea Park, who in her late 80s competed in both the Ladies and Mixed doubles and played wonderful tennis.  You’re an inspiration Andrea. As President Steve Koolloos said, the Vintage Club Championships is such a wonderful display of longevity in tennis that sets the bar for the rest of us. Steve noted that no trophies were dropped during his presentations!

The finals weekend saw a large crowd gathered to cheer on the competitors. Our Sunday afternoon catering this year came courtesy of member Lee Cranby-Eoff who owns the Mexican café Muchacha. We all loved the beef, chicken and vegetarian tacos – ay curumba!  Many thanks Lee.

Thanks to Club Captain Andrej for organisation the Championship and his many helpers behind the scenes and congrats to all our 2026 Vintage Champions.