“2025 has to be one of the very best Collaroy Tennis Club Championships EVER!”
- Collaroy Tennis Club
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
That headline quote comes from long-time Collaroy member, Ros… and having been a member for decades and a former Club Champion herself, she should know! This is Club Captain Kenny’s summary of the Championships to date:
What a Club Championships so far this year! Seven awesome events packed into one epic tournament, those events including:
Open Ladies’ Singles (plus plate event for those knocked out in the 1st round)
Open Men’s Singles (plus plate event for those knocked out in the 1st round)
Open Ladies’ Doubles
Open Men’s Doubles
Open Mixed Doubles
Men’s Masters Singles
Inaugural Ladies Masters Singles
Plus Junior and Wheelchair events, some of which have already been held.
We’ve smashed records for the number of players entered, number of matches played and attendance by enthusiastic audiences. Every weekend, the courts have been buzzing! Even stormy skies and a lightning scare on November 15 couldn’t stop us. Every match was played, and now we’re fast heading towards the grand finale on December 6.
Big moments, highlights and crowd pleasers so far...
The 2025 tournament will be remembered as the year Collaroy’s ‘young guns’ came of age. Juniors like Natalie, Marley, Maiia, ‘The Two Harrys’, Vito and Bella L., Kona and many more, have been absolute stars - fearless and full of flair!
The youngest competitor in this year’s Championships is 10 year-old Vito L (no... not our recently retired past President). Young Vito (yellow shorts above) had already played some great doubles against older rivals before taking on his first ever Open Men’s Singles match… and convincingly winning it 8-0! He fell in the 2nd round to experienced 5th seed, Tim W., but even managed to get 3 games in that one. Vito was overheard saying that he was disappointed he didn’t get the chance to play against reigning Champ. and No. 1 seed, Chris G., but there’s little doubt his time will come… an absolute star of the future.
The ’older brigade’ fought back with Chris, Tim, Michal and Albin all notching early round wins, before Albin (currently World Ranked No. 22 in the Men’s 45+ division) faced teenager Harry H. (not to be confused with Harrison H.). 😊 in what became one of the great matches.
The youngster streaked out to a 3-0 lead in the first-to-8 encounter, capping his run with a Federer-worthy ‘tweener’ smacked for a winner down the middle of the court that had jaws on the floor! But undeterred, Albin used all his guile and experience to peg him back, the pair trading games until they reached 7 all. In the end, it would take a tiebreaker to separate them and even that went point-for-point before Harry finally edged ahead and took the match 8-7 (10-8 in the breaker). Just brilliant!
The Men’s draw is stacked with quality this year, from three-time defending Champ. Chris G. and his perennial nemesis Michal, to former Club Junior Champ. Pavle P., new (or new-ish) members Michael McT., Tom S. and Josh S., and all those on-fire Teenagers. While still the deserved tournament favourite, Chris definitely has a fight on his hands to retain his title in 2025.
The Men’s Doubles event has also seen some spectacular clashes right from the first round, when father and son combo. Greg and Michael B. took on defending Champions Tom S. and Chris E. Greg wound back the clock, standing up to everything his young opponents threw at him, while as always, the whirling dervish that is Mike showed Usain Bolt-like speed to dominate the net. The family pairing went on to cause the first real upset of this year’s Championships, taking the match 6-4.
Michal and Tim struck a blow for the veterans by winning their pool and later snuck by Harry and Harrison in a nerve-wracking third-set Semi-Final Tiebreaker. They will now face Kona & Pavle in the Final, after that pair accounted for Greg and Mike B. in their semi. That will be a Final not to be missed!
The Ladies draw has also thrown up some surprise results and some superb matches. Our 16-year-old Italian Exchange Student, Natalie, has won her way through to both Junior and Open Singles Finals, knocking out reigning Club Champ. and fellow teenager Sky in the Open Semi. in straight sets. The other Semi. saw a spectacular clash between outstanding English ‘imports’, Emma and Jade. This was another absolute thriller with Emma taking the first set 6-4 and Jade coming back to win the second 6-2, before Emma finally saw out a 3rd set Match Tiebreak, 10-7.
Forget the United Cup… this year we’re boasting our own ‘All International Ladies Final’ - Emma vs Natalie… this one’s going to be electric!
Natalie and Jade then paired up to fight out an epic Ladies Doubles Semi-Final, against the more experienced pairing of Ginette and Jannete. Another extremely tight match this time went the way of the ‘slightly elder’ pair – the final score a nail-biting 6-4, 4-6, 10-7 in the Match Tiebreak. The ‘… nettes’ now await their Final opponents, with ‘Teenage Titans’ Maiia and Marley looking likely, having dropped only one game in their pool matches.
In what can only be called ‘Mixed Doubles Madness’, the Semi-Final between Maiia and Harrison and reigning Champs., Mike and Kelly, had the crowd roaring throughout. Though the end score suggested a comprehensive win to ‘The Kids’, points featuring Mike’s diving volleys were absolutely unreal! At one stage Mike ended up on his back twice in the same rally, but the youngsters held their nerve and booked their well-deserved spot in the Final, in which they’ll face either Marley & Harry (their respective doubles partners!) or seasoned campaigners Geoff and Lauren. Another epic match is guaranteed.
The Junior events also produced some thrilling matches. In the Girls’ Singles, new member, 11-year-old Ella P will take on dual Singles Finalist, Natalie after both won their Semis. in 3 sets. Ella caused a real upset by taking out older rival and reigning Open Club Champ., Sky in her Semi. The Boys’ Singles event was a little more straightforward, with good friends and doubles partners, Harry H and Harrison H to face off in the Final. (See more great pics. below)
In the Wheelchair Club Championships, World Ranked players Hayley Slocombe (World No. 66) and Sheridan Brown (World No. 122) fought out the Open Singles Final with Hayley emerging victorious. It was amazing seeing these two exchanging magnificent shots on Court 4. Sheridan gained some revenge when she teamed with Junior player, Jaxon, to win the Doubles event. Jaxon also won the Junior title while Oscar was presented with a special Sportsmanship award.
More great matches will take place this weekend with Tim v Harrison at around 2pm on Saturday and Pavle awaiting the winner. That match will be played on Saturday at 3:45pm. And reigning Men’s Masters Champion, Damian will take on the Flying Frenchman, Christophe R. in a Masters Semi. at 3:15pm. The winner of this belter will play either new member Alvaro or winning Badge Team Captain, Rob T. in what will be another amazing match-up.
The Finals are just around the corner and the atmosphere is already off the charts. A huge thanks to everyone, especially the players (from 10-year-old Vito to 82-year-old Konrad!), but also the volunteers and fans, for making this THE most exciting Collaroy Club Championships EVER held!
Don’t miss the climax on Finals Day - Saturday 6th December 2025 – followed by our Club Christmas Party. It’s going to be legendary. Put the date in your diary NOW!
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