South Australia claimed three awards at the 2023 Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards held at the Palladium at Crown in Melbourne on Monday night.
On a night that recognises players, coaches, clubs, communities, volunteers and officials for their service to the sport, South Australia took out the Most Outstanding School and Most Outstanding Tennis Club awards, along with the Spirit of Tennis award.
Torrens Valley Christian School, Golden Grove Tennis Club and Alicia Molik were each recognised for their commitment and dedication to tennis.
Torrens Valley Christian School was announced as winner of the Most Outstanding School category after being a finalist in 2022. This is the third time a South Australian school has won this award since 2019.
Tennis is thriving at the school through a productive partnership with Hope Valley Tennis Club. The school provides Hot Shots Tennis as a core part of their health and physical education curriculum for primary and secondary school students.
“This is incredible, I am quite shocked! When I saw the profiles of the other schools that we were up against, I really thought bad luck again! I didn’t think we had a chance of winning it,” Torrens Valley Christian School Physical Education and Health Teacher, and Tennis Coordinator Sue Schubert said.
“This is absolutely amazing, very exciting and we are very thankful.”
For Golden Grove Tennis Club, this was their first Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards nomination and their win sees them become the second South Australian club to have won the award.
With nine courts and close to 200 members, the club’s highlight of 2023 was a 24-hour charity tennis marathon, which raised more than $22,000 for the Australian Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
“We are just so honoured to have won this award,” Golden Grove Tennis Club President Craig Mousley said.
“It really means so much to us all. This award doesn’t just recognise our committee, but also our members, families, council, sponsors and everyone who is a part of our club.
“We have worked so hard to build our club community. We are so excited and we can’t wait to celebrate with everyone back home.”
Alicia Molik was honoured to accept the Spirit of Tennis award from Tennis Australia Chair Jayne Hrdlicka.
The award recognises her incredible contribution to the sport, following a decade serving as captain of the Australian Billie Jean King Cup team.
“I feel privileged and it’s pretty special from my perspective. It’s a pretty amazing sport that I’m involved in,” said Molik.
“That’s why I feel incredibly lucky to have landed (a role) in this sport that has given me so much. It’s a sport of opportunity. So I’m incredibly proud and I am really humbled.”
“We are so excited to have celebrated our finalists and winners at the Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards,” Tennis SA CEO Debbie Sterrey said.
“This is a wonderful result and we couldn’t be more proud to congratulate Torrens Valley Christian School, Golden Grove Tennis Club and Alicia on their success.”
2023 Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Award winners:
Newcombe Medal
Alex de Minaur (NSW)
Spirit of Tennis Award
Alicia Molik (SA)
Coaching Excellence – Club
Tina Keown (Vic)
Coaching Excellence – Development
Antonie Vermaak (Vic)
Coaching Excellence – Performance
Mark Draper (Qld)
Excellence in Officiating
Glenn Toland (NSW)
Female Junior Athlete of the Year
Emerson Jones (Qld)
Taylah Preston (WA)
Male Junior Athlete of the Year
Charlie Camus (ACT)
Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability
Archie Graham (Qld)
Most Outstanding School
Torrens Valley Christian School (SA)
Most Outstanding Tennis Club
Golden Grove Tennis Club (SA)
Most Outstanding 30+ Tennis Master
Ros Balodis (ACT)
Brendon Lee Moore (NSW)
Most Outstanding Tournament
2023 Queensland Head State Age (Qld)
Volunteer Achievement Award
Brendon Oliver-Ewen (Tas)
South Australian award winners at the Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards:
2023
Torrens Valley Christian School (Most Outstanding School)
Golden Grove Tennis Club (Most Outstanding Tennis Club)
Alicia Molik (Spirit of Tennis)
2022
David Grainger (Coaching Excellence – Club)
Robyn Tucker (Excellence in Officiating)
Edward Winter (Junior Athlete of the Year – Male)
Julie Polkinghorne (Volunteer Achievement Award)
2021
Domenic Marafiote (Coaching Excellence – Club)
Sam Wall (Coaching Excellence Development)
Cobdogla Primary School (Most Outstanding School)
2020
Event not held due to COVID pandemic
2019
Darren Wunderer (Volunteer Achievement Award)
Elizabeth North Primary School (Most Outstanding School)
City of Playford Tennis International (Most Outstanding Professional Tournament)
2018
Henley South Tennis Club (Most Outstanding Club)
Darren Cahill (Coaching Excellence – High Performance)
John Pick (Volunteer Achievement Award)
2017
Helen Rice (Coaching Excellence – Club)
2014
Thanasi Kokkinakis (Junior Athlete of the Year – Male)
2013
Lleyton Hewitt (Newcombe Medal)
David Grainger (Coaching Excellence – Hot Shots Tennis)
2012
Luke Saville (Junior Athlete of the Year – Male)
2011
Luke Saville (Junior Athlete of the Year – Male)
Lleyton Hewitt (President’s Spirit of Tennis Award)
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