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All Black Andrew Mehrtens is pulling his trusty racquet out of the cupboard for next week's celebrity tennis challenge with Steffi Graf, Jelena Dokic and Matthew Ridge.
Mehrtens and Ridge, both champions in the junior tennis ranks, will partner Graf and Dokic at the WestpacTrust Centre in Christchurch on February 3.
The mixed doubles celebrity challenge follows an exhibition match between seven times Wimbledon champion Graf and Dokic, 16, of Australia, the world junior girls' champion.
Mehrtens, known for his exploits on the rugby paddock, is just as cool, quick and crafty on the tennis court.
He played senior tennis for Christchurch's Edgeware club for many years, represented Canterbury in interdistrict competitions and was the Canterbury doubles champion five years ago.
As a junior he was the fourth- best player in the New Zealand 12 years age group and ranked seventh in the 16s.
Ridge, a former national rugby and rugby league representative, was ranked number five when he played his best tennis as an 18-year-old. He was in the same era as New Zealand champion Brett Steven.
Canterbury Tennis chief executive David Blackwell said it was tempting to think what Mehrtens and Ridge might have achieved for New Zealand tennis if they had not played football.
- NZPA
Tennis: Mehrtens and Ridge to hold court with Steffi
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