16 February 2024 | Tennis Victoria
Tennis Victoria Country Week 2024 has concluded, and what a week it was. Wodonga Tennis Centre, Albury Tennis Association and Wodonga City Council played host to a fantastic week of tennis, fun, friendships and many laughs.
On the final day, there could be only 28 winners.
The Lecontes went back-to-back in the Men’s Section 1 Grand Final, while Mutton and Lamb reversed the results of the 2023 Women’s A Grade final, defeating Tandara 3-27 to 1-23.
Twenty-two years ago, Steven Bradbury claimed gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics, but it wasn’t to be today for Team Bradbury in Section 13 Women’s, with the Sunbury Sippers taking the title.
Ragers Inc capped off a brilliant week by winning the Gilchrist Pearce Cup, an award nominated by the Country Week players for any team across the tournament who have exemplified the spirit of Country Week. “We like to be competitive in the tennis but it’s everything else that comes along with Country Week that is really important to us” said team captain Robyn Darby. The Section 4 Women’s team were nominated by their peers for their fair play and friendliness on the court and their enthusiasm off the court at social functions, welcoming others and often being the last to leave.
It will be a family celebration for the Langstaff family after claiming the Section 11 Men’s final. The Leongatha L’s defeated the Merry Marshians in a very close battle 2-24 d 2-23. The Leongatha team is made up of Country Week Legend Neil Langstaff and his sons Joel and Daniel and grandsons Ethan and Zac. The three generations all playing together have capped off a great week with the Section 11 Men’s title.
Tennis Victoria Country Week is loved by many seeing players travel from across the country and overseas with competitors coming from Bathurst, Port Macquarie, Devonport, New Zealand, Merimbula and from all corners of Victoria.
The full list of Country Week Winners and Runners Up are:
| Grade | Winner | Runner Up |
| Section 1 Women’s | Mutton and Lamb | Tandara |
| Section 2 Women’s | Royal South Maffra | Mt Prospect Dashers |
| Section 3 Women’s | Double the Fun | Shepparton Bluebirds |
| Section 4 Women’s | Whiskers | Match Makers |
| Section 5 Women’s | Mud Island Robbies | Mt Prospect Smart Aces |
| Section 6 Women’s | Albury All Stars | Mt Prospect Angels |
| Section 7 Women’s | Blind Freddies | Peacocks |
| Section 8 Women’s | Castlemaine CC’s | Gippy Fillies & Friends |
| Section 9 Women’s | The Mumms | Hit n Giggle |
| Section 10 Women’s | Bilby Babes | Drop Shot Divas Ballarat |
| Section 11 Women’s | Sunny Girls | Euroa Purple |
| Section 12 Women’s | Court Jesters | PMT Club |
| Section 13 Women’s | Sunbury Sippers | Team Bradbury |
| Section 14 Women’s | BP Chicks | Mansfield Purple |
| Section 15 Women’s | Westernport Coastal Queens | Ballarat Lawn Tennis |
| Section 16 Women’s | Geelong Chardy’s | Leongatha RJs |
| Section 1 Men’s | Lecontes | Maffra Lawn |
| Section 2 Men’s | Royal Parkers | The Ranges |
| Section 3 Men’s | Double Shots | Beaconsfield Battlers |
| Section 4 Men’s | Mates | Merimbula Bunnies |
| Section 5 Men’s | Drouin Deuces | Kiwis |
| Section 6 Men’s | Devonport Panthers | Euroa 1 |
| Section 7 Men’s | The Fentons | Cobram Tigers |
| Section 8 Men’s | Maffra Bulls | Mud Island Roughies |
| Section 9 Men’s | Wodonga Penguins | Sons of Ned |
| Section 10 Men’s | San Remo Loose Strings | Karramus Bushchooks |
| Section 11 Men’s | Leongatha L’s | Merry Marshians |
| Section 12 Men’s | Castlemaine Lawn | LobStars |
Gilchrist Pearce Cup – Ragers Inc.
Country Week 2024 – By the numbers:
1320 Players took part in Tennis Victoria Country Week 2024, aged between 16 and 82. Robin Albert from Leongatha holds the title of the eldest player in the tournament. Robin has attended Country Week for over 50 years and met his wife Anne at a Country Week event over 35 years ago.
221 Teams competed – 125 women’s teams, 96 men’s teams.
There were 28 grades contested over the week.
4,500 Dunlop Australian Open tennis balls were used. Over 187,400 points were played over 3200 sets in 868 matches.
Off court saw over 5,000 bacon and egg rolls consumed, 40kgs of fruit salad prepared, 1200 orange juice slushies enjoyed, over 500 Ken and Barbies danced the night away at the Barbie themed social night and countless laughs were had and new friendships made.
101 grass courts were prepared by curator Shayne Reid. This included permanent courts at Wodonga Tennis Centre and Albury Tennis Association and the temporary courts at Kelly Park. Preparation on the temporary courts started 12 months ago.
4 participants were announced as Country Week Legends. Congratulations to Kieran Fitzgerald, Mary Dewis, Kerry White and David Kos.
Tennis Victoria Country Week is the largest grass court community tennis tournament in the world. It will return in 2025 to Swan Hill from 9 – 14 February 2025.
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