Tennis tournament a success in trying conditions
THE 26th Annual SGTA Junior and Open Tennis Classic was held at the Leongatha Tennis Club on January 3 and 4, delivering two days of high-quality tennis, strong community support and memorable moments both on and off the court.
Day one proved to be a true test of resilience, with players battling through a long and hot day.
Despite the challenging conditions, the standard of tennis remained outstanding across all age groups.
Late in the afternoon, a storm swept through the venue, forcing play to be temporarily suspended and adding an extra layer of drama to an already demanding day.
Day two brought much more pleasant weather and an earlier start, allowing organisers to recover the time lost on Saturday.
Matches continued late into the evening, with the final match completed at 8.30pm, capping off a successful and hard-fought tournament.
The event attracted 85 individual entrants, with players travelling from local areas, Latrobe Valley, West Gippsland, the Peninsula and Melbourne, highlighting the growing reputation of the SGTA Classic.
Impressively, 31 local players competed, showcasing the strength of tennis in the South Gippsland region.
A total of 17 events were contested, ranging from 10 and Under divisions through to Open Men’s and Ladies Singles, Doubles and Mixed, as well as popular community events such as Family Doubles and Veterans Doubles.
A total of 180 matches completed over the two-day event.
SGTA extend sincere thanks to the Leongatha Tennis Club Committee, including president Warren Littlejohn, Greg Marshman and Frank Dekker, who also generously ran the fundraising barbecue throughout the tournament to support players and families.
A special thank you goes to the SGTA tournament crew — Matt and Keerah Pocklington, and Kylie Van Den Broek — for their tireless work across the two days.
Kylie played a key role managing entries, creating draws and liaising with players and parents to ensure the event ran smoothly.
Gratitude is also extended to all parents and players, who displayed excellent sportsmanship, positive attitudes and respect throughout the tournament, contributing to the welcoming and supportive atmosphere.
SGTA also acknowledged the support of coach Brad, who brought six talented players from Melbourne and assisted around the venue and coach Chris, who attended with his family and went above and beyond by helping the tournament crew with bagging courts, watering and sweeping lines.
Coach Chris is also the tournament director of the upcoming Ace Classic Tournament in Pakenham on the Australia Day long weekend, where he will team up with coach Matt.
A major highlight for that event will be the appearance of Destanee Aiava, adding excitement to the local tennis calendar.
Running in parallel with the tournament, SGTA’s head coaches Ricardo and Matt hosted a Performance Week for committed academy players.
This program combined two tournaments with two on-court training days, a psychology session and beach swims, creating a pathway toward elite mindset development while also building friendships, team morale and a strong academy culture.
A big thank you and well done to coach Ricardo for the delivery of the sessions outside of the tournament days.
The 26th Annual SGTA Junior and Open Tennis Classic once again demonstrated the power of community sport, bringing together players of all ages, families, coaches and volunteers for a celebration of tennis in South Gippsland.
Results:
10 and Under Group A Unisex Singles: Frederick Steele (Melbourne) defeated Quinn Donaldson (Leongatha).
10 and Under Group B Unisex Singles: Lily Van Den Broek (Korumburra) defeated Ruben Russell (Leongatha).
10 and Under Unisex Doubles: Spencer Crane (Traralgon) and Edward Hawkins (Inverloch) defeated Lily Van Den Broek (Korumburra) and Ruben Russell (Leongatha).
12 and Under Boys Singles: Harrison Crane (Traralgon) defeated Archar Hughes (Korumburra).
12 and Under Unisex Doubles: Cole Hawkins (Inverloch) and Archar Hughes (Korumburra) defeated Harrison Crane (Traralgon) and Ayce Millidonis (Pakenham).
14 and Under Boys Singles: Finlay Bennett (Melbourne) defeated Jimmy Joyce-Biss (Drouin).
14 and Under Girls Singles: Lily Van Den Broek (Korumburra) defeated Halle Whitten (Leongatha).
14 and Under Unisex Doubles: Finlay Bennett (Melbourne) and Archar Hughes (Korumburra) defeated Declan Russell (Leongatha) and Madison Van Den Broek (Korumburra).
Family Doubles: Joey Millidonis (Pakenham) and Chris Millidonis (Pakenham) defeated Quinn Donaldson (Leongatha) and Peter Donaldson (Leongatha).
Men’s Open Singles: Matthew Pocklington (Leongatha) defeated Tim Bloye (Drouin).
Ladies Open Singles: Madison Van Den Broek (Korumburra) defeated Imelda Rongoni (Pakenham).
Men’s Open Doubles: Matthew Pocklington (Leongatha) and Brad Perks (Melbourne) defeated Josh Bloye (Drouin) and Tim Bloye (Drouin).
Ladies Open Doubles: Madison Van Den Broek (Korumburra) and Averie Hughes (Korumburra) defeated Penni Millidonis (Pakenham) and Imelda Rongoni (Pakenham).
Open Mixed Doubles: Matthew Pocklington (Leongatha) and Madison Van Den Broek (Korumburra) defeated Tim Bloye (Drouin) and Alexandra Radcliffe (Drouin).
Veterans Doubles: Warren Littlejohn (Leongatha) and Greg Marshman (Leongatha) defeated Paul Ramsbottom (Leongatha) and Frank Dekker (Leongatha).
