Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2025 Tennis Victoria Pennant season marked the inaugural Pride Rounds, celebrating inclusion and belonging for LGBTQIA+ people across our tennis community. According to the Out on the Fields study, conducted by research firm Repucom, 80% of Australians have witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport, something Tennis Victoria is committed to changing. We believe that being inclusive is reflecting the diversity of our local communities. Everyone should have the opportunity to be included in tennis in a way that is positive and meaningful for them regardless of their sex, sexuality, gender identity or any other defining characteristic.
A huge thank you to the clubs who proudly hosted these rounds. Your energy, creativity and commitment to inclusion were clear, with courts decked out in rainbow flags, themed decorations, and inclusive messaging. From Eildon Park’s colourful display of rainbow-themed snacks and treats (check out their Instagram reel here) to East Malvern Tennis Club’s custom “ALLY” shirts for the weekend, it was fantastic to see the range of fun and meaningful initiatives clubs brought to life.
Another big shoutout to Essendon Tennis Club for doing an incredible job hosting their Pride Round! We were lucky enough to visit the club and show our support, alongside a representative from Pride Cup, Em McGovan, Tennis Australia Inclusion Lead Irena Farinacci, Tennis Victoria Inclusion Lead Adam Watson, and several other Tennis Victoria staff members.
Keen to see what went down at Essendon and hear from some of the players about the impact of initiatives such as Pride Round can have? Click here to watch the video!
Thank you to all the clubs, players and spectators for helping make Pride Rounds a powerful and visible step toward a more inclusive tennis community.
From a Pennant perspective, the competitive spirit was just as strong, but with a new layer of meaning.
Tennis Victoria was proud to support the following clubs in hosting Pride Rounds:
- Essendon Tennis Club – June 21 & 28
- Eildon Park Tennis Club – June 21 & 28
- East Malvern Tennis Club – June 21 & 28
- East Camberwell Tennis Club – June 28
- Maccabi Tennis Club – June 28
Pride Round Match Highlights:
- At Essendon Tennis Club, multiple teams got into the spirit with Pride-themed gear. Highlights included a close Men’s Grade 9 match where Royal Park edged out Essendon by just five games, and Essendon’s Men’s Grade 10 team securing a home win over Geelong.
- At Eildon Park, community spirit ran high, with teams sharing Pride-themed afternoon tea. Their Men’s Grade 1 and 2 sides dominated in strong home performances.
- Maccabi Tennis Club hosted four grades on June 28, with standout results including their Grade 5 and Grade 10 teams scoring convincing wins.
- East Camberwell saw strong matches and close contests, with all three home teams taking part in Pride-themed rounds.
- East Malvern embraced the day with creative club-led initiatives and strong on-court performances, including a hard-fought Grade 5 win over Beaumaris.
Tennis Victoria Competitive Play Coordinator Aleksander Ceran added “the inaugural Pride Rounds brought something really special to Pennant. Clubs took pride not just in the result, but in creating welcoming match day environments.”
All in all, the inaugural Pride Rounds were a huge success, showing that tennis has the power to bring people together not just on court, but also through meaningful acts of inclusion. Tennis Victoria Inclusion Lead, Adam Watson, shared: “Pride Rounds are about more than just rainbow flags during Pride Month—they’re about action and visibility. It’s been inspiring to see clubs across the Pennant competition step up, show genuine allyship, and send a clear message that they’re committed to creating a culture where LGBTIQA+ people feel safe, seen, and celebrated.”
To get in touch with the inclusion team at Tennis Victoria please contact [email protected]. We hope this inagural pride initiative continues to grow year on year, both within Pennant and across other leagues and tournaments.
To learn more about Tennis Victoria’s commitment to increasing opportunities and accessibility for LGBTIQA+ people, click here.
To explore our broader work in inclusion and diversity, click here.
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