25 November 2014 | Tennis Tasmania

RIVERSIDE tennis player Max Byrne has returned home from the ITF super senior world championships in Turkey with gold and bronze medals.

The 82-year-old veteran was captain of the Australian over 80s team and the only Tasmanian representative in the 36-member national team that travelled to the Ali Bey resort near Manavgat, for the 60-80 age group tournament.

‘‘It was a bit of a circus because I tore a tendon in my left shoulder before I went, which gave me trouble serving,’’ Byrne said.

‘‘I thought as team captain I would take it easy but our No.1 player tore his calf muscle in the practice so I had to play No.1 and I had to play every match.’’

Overall Byrne played 14 matches during the tournament, winning 11 of them.

Australia finished third in the teams’ event behind the undefeated US and second-placed Germany.

‘‘There were 13 teams in it and we came third so we got the bronze,’’ Byrne said.

‘‘In the individual championships I lost in the quarter-finals of the singles and doubles but won the mixed with a Canadian partner Muffie Grieves – so I got a gold medal for that.

‘‘As a result I finished 11th in the world in ITF rankings for my age group for singles, third for men’s doubles and first in the world for mixed doubles.

Byrne won the gold medal in the 2007 championships in men’s doubles and won gold in the mixed doubles last year.

‘‘The championships were held over about three weeks and I reckon there were about 1000 people there altogether.

‘‘The resort had 55 tennis courts and was in a great spot on the Mediterranean.