Whangārei tennis club celebrates centenary with new courts

Maunu Tennis Club president Ray Webb, at left, with Dennis Wright, caretaker, armed with a paint brush and a tennis racquet to give the club house a repaint to match the new courts. Photo / supplied

The modern game of tennis has only been around for 147 years and a Northland club is celebrating its 100th year with new courts.

Maunu Tennis Club, in Whangārei, is celebrating its centenary year and the club's four courts have been resurfaced with new astrograss, in a project costing $115,000.

Club president Ray Webb said the resurfacing proved a lengthy process because of delays caused by the Covid-19 lockdown followed by inclement weather.

However, the courts have been completed in time for the start of the main season.

Opening day for seniors is on Saturday, September 19, with a fun yankee tournament to start at 10am. Ladies day continues at 9am on Wednesdays.

A group of ladies about to test the new Maunu courts last Wednesday morning. Photo / supplied

Once daylight saving starts on September 27, twilight tennis kicks off on Thursday, October 1 at 5.30pm.

Webb said the club sessions provided organised games with an emphasis on the genuine mixing of all players.

"New members and visitors are always welcome to come along and try before they buy, as the club encourages players to visit several times free of charge,'' he said.

Junior coaching begins in term four with a rally day on Tuesday, October 13, from 3.15pm.

He said quite by chance, the court resurfacing has coincided with the club's centenary year.

A celebration is planned at the club for Saturday November 28. All present and past members and club supporters will be able to share memorabilia and stories at a lunchtime celebration.

• The origins of tennis can be traced to a 12th–13th-century French handball game called jeu de paume ("game of the palm"), which developed into a complex indoor racket-and-ball game: real tennis.

There has been much dispute over the invention of modern tennis, but the officially recognised centennial of the game in 1973 commemorated its introduction by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1873.

He published the first book of rules that year and took out a patent on his game in 1874, although historians have concluded that similar games were played earlier and that the first tennis club was established by the Englishman Harry Gem and several associates in Leamington in 1872.