INVERLOCH will get its own taste of Grand Slam tennis when the Australian Open trophies arrive in town next month, alongside an Australian tennis legend.
On Sunday, October 26, the Inverloch Tennis Club will host AO on the Road, a Tennis Victoria program supported by Visit Victoria that brings the Australian Open trophies to regional communities. The free event begins at midday and promises something for everyone.
Visitors will have the chance to see the trophies up close, grab a photo or autograph, and enjoy lunch from the Lime and Co food truck.
For the younger players, there will be tennis games to join in on, while the highlight of the afternoon will be a talk from guest speaker John Fitzgerald, a former professional player and seven-time doubles Grand Slam winner.
Club president Sam Hodgson said being chosen for the program was a proud moment for the community.
“Honestly we are all just really proud of everyone at the club,” she said. “Often in regional towns you can feel a bit overlooked, so to see that Tennis Victoria and Tennis Australia are recognising what we are trying to do and what we are growing is great. We are a volunteer-run club, and it is things like this that keep us going.”
The recognition comes at a time of remarkable growth for the Inverloch Tennis Club. Membership is nearing 200, with more than 130 children now part of the Hot Shots program and nine junior teams taking to the court competitively. The club has gone from a handful of juniors before the pandemic to record numbers today.
Coach Bill Oliver said it was that momentum that caught the attention of Tennis Australia.
“The clubs that have some energy and are growing usually get the nod. Tennis Australia called us and said they chose us because of the growth of the club, and that is what they are trying to do, stoke the fires of regional tennis. We are all so excited,” he said.
For the community, the visit is more than just a chance to see silverware. It’s about creating a buzz in the town and inspiring the next generation.
“To have people from one of the biggest four tournaments in the world showing up on our doorstep is pretty cool,” Oliver said.
Hodgson agreed, pointing to the pathways the sport can provide.
“We have one young kid at the moment at the Young Leaders Program at the Australian Open. One of our coaches was on a scholarship to a US university, playing tennis. Tennis can take you pretty far.”
The club’s motto is simple: tennis for everyone. On October 26, the whole community is invited to celebrate that spirit as the Australian Open comes to Inverloch.
