Celebrating our 2025-2026 Award winners

Tennis Auckland Award Winners for 2025-2026

Before we share the full list of winners from last night’s Awards Evening, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what made the evening so special.

As we learned more about each of our winners during the planning of the event, and as we listened to their speeches on the night, the same themes were clear throughout… hard work, dedication, service, and a genuine love of our great game.

The Auckland tennis community is made up of truly remarkable people who give so much to our sport and to each other. To this year’s award winners, and to every volunteer, coach, player, supporter and friend of tennis who helps make our region what it is…thank you.

We are so proud to celebrate this year’s Award winners.

Clubs of the Year Awards

Overall Club of the Year / Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club

Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club had a huge year on and off the court. Over 30 senior and junior teams took the court across summer and winter interclub. Its Club Championships grew to more than 70 entrants with hundreds of spectators following the event over three weeks. Its two weekly club nights are regularly pulling in more than 100 players. Its clubhouse, pro shop and deck areas have also been transformed with new furniture, improved layouts and better viewing areas creating a space members are proud of. Venue hire has averaged one booking a month since the renovation.

Alongside the tennis, the club has built a genuine community around the game. It ran a sold out Games Night, a sold out Quiz Night, the Winter Classic, the Club Championships Prizegiving Dinner and the Club Christmas Party. Junior and tertiary age members even run a club TikTok that racked up more than 3 million views this year!

It capped off a big night for Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club having already picked up the Club Administration Award earlier in the evening.

Love your work Blockhouse Bay.

Club Spirit / Herne Bay Rackets Club

Herne Bay Rackets Club puts inclusion at the heart of its planning and delivery of events. It aims to involve every member. This extends to its Club Championships, tailoring events to suit participants. Its Senior and Junior Club Championships drew 92 entrants this year with many playing in multiple events. Earlier this year the club introduced a new beginners' grade played as a round robin. The club also fields 7 to 9 interclub teams each season. It ran a Club Challenge, or "Battle of the Club," between Next Gen and West End. It also held social ladies tournaments and it put on Grand Slam themed events across the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open that include 45+ participants and 20-30 spectators.

Its weekly programme includes Club Day and Club Night, often attracting 50+ players in summer. There's Friday Ladies Tennis for those beginning the game, and Friday Junior Tennis and junior coaching as well as weekend coached clinics. The club also runs a volunteer bar programme, working bees with 30-40 members, and a member led herb garden initiative.

Congratulations Herne Bay Rackets Club!

Club Facilities / West End Tennis Club

Over the past 12 months West End Tennis Club planned and delivered extensive renovation of its six courts. It's the single largest court focused project undertaken since the club was founded in 1932. Brought about by damage sustained in the 2023 floods, the project involved a new multi channel drainage system. The courts were raised by an average of 15-20cm through an extensive concrete pour. They were finished with new turf in a two tone green combination chosen to be sympathetic to the surrounding area, along with new posts and nets.

It was funded through club contribution, an SRFIF council grant and insurance, and delivered by a team of civil engineers, surveyors, and drainage, concrete and turf contractors. The seven week build finished on time and on budget with members playing at Pt Chevalier Tennis Club in the meantime.

Alongside the courts, the downstairs of the clubhouse has been rebuilt offering new bathrooms, including an accessible bathroom, a kitchen, and a players' lounge with an HD smart TV.

Seriously hard work has paid off for West End Tennis Club…congratulations!

Club Administration / Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club

Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club has had one of the most transformational years in its history. It progressed a major amalgamation between the club and trust, now functioning under a single governance structure. It moved its finances onto modern accounting and payroll systems. It brought every employment agreement up to date and cleared a backlog of tax obligations to sit fully current with Inland Revenue. It's now also fully insured and in a position to meet its full annual insurance bill in one payment…a strong sign of the financial discipline behind the scenes.

None of this happens without a committee willing to put in the hours. Blockhouse Bay's committee spans accountants, CFOs, clinical directors, teachers and long-time volunteers. They meet monthly with additional working groups progressing projects.

It's a well deserved Club Administration Award for Blockhouse Bay Tennis Club.

Club Event /Bucklands Beach Tennis Club

Earlier this year Bucklands Beach Tennis Club celebrated its centenary. Rather than a single formal dinner, the club chose to mark 100 years with a week of events spanning every part of club life. A Junior Fun Day brought members together over the school holidays and a Senior Tournament saw 50 players of all standards compete over a Friday night and Saturday morning with catering and special prizes.

The centrepiece was a Centenary Reception in the clubhouse, bringing together past and present members, including former officers who travelled from across the region to reconnect. The evening featured light hearted speeches, a video greeting from Cameron Norrie, and centenary embroidered hand towels presented to families who have formed the backbone of the club's volunteer culture. Photo displays and a memory table let visitors reminisce, and a former club secretary, now almost 90, cut the centenary cake. The week closed with a BBQ for a group of men who have played together every Thursday for over 25 years, and a tournament and morning tea for the Midweek social tennis section.

A century of tennis and friendship celebrated in fine style!

Club Coach / David Mustard

For over fifty years David Mustard has been a driving force in NZ tennis dedicating the majority of his life to the sport both on and off the court. As resident professional at Herne Bay Rackets Club, he's built a programme that caters to every level. His influence goes beyond the court as he has helped foster a club culture through tournaments, social events, corporate functions and quiz nights that regularly sell out. His reach has also built lasting relationships between Herne Bay and neighbouring clubs including West End, Next Gen and Parnell.

David's past credentials are quite noteworthy: a former NZ Davis Cup player and ATP touring professional with career world rankings of 120 in singles and 82 in doubles but it is his ongoing energy that stands out. He runs junior term and holiday programmes, weekly Club Days and Nights, private coaching and is the man behind the trademark DNA Defenders and Aggressors sessions. He also remains the first friendly face many people meet at the club.

Thank you David and congratulations.

Club Volunteer / Jenny Richardson

Jenny Richardson joined the Pakuranga Tennis Club in 2006. She has served on the committee for 20 years including four as Vice President and 11 as President. Over that time she chaired the club's charitable trust for 11 years raising funds to support members and families through financial hardship. Jenny personally supported members through COVID using the trust to help families affected by the pandemic stay connected to tennis and each other. Under her leadership, the club grew to over 400 members for the first time in its history! She kept its finances frugally managed throughout establishing a Capital Reserve along the way.

Jenny's biggest achievement has been leading the club through its relocation to Lloyd Elsmore Park after lease terms offered on its previous site became unworkable for a community club. She brought the situation to members who voted to relocate in 2018. She then spent over a decade building relationships with the Howick Local Board, Auckland Council, funding bodies and Tennis NZ to make it happen. Jenny helped establish the Lloyd Elsmore Community Hub itself and as Co-Chair she has now secured a $1.8 million Auckland Council grant toward the new courts…a project recognised as one of Auckland's most significant community sporting developments.

So well deserved Jenny. Thank you for two decades of service and dedication.

Club Marketing & Promotion / Parnell Lawn Tennis Club

Parnell Lawn Tennis Club made headlines with Club Silver a summer partnership with Heineken Silver that turned part of the venue into an open air hospitality space, reaching a projected 2.9 million people. It followed that with the Celebrity Big Serve, drawing 400+ attendees for a pro exhibition with James Watt and Finn Reynolds, plus a celebrity challenge featuring Warriors players Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Sean Johnson. Earlier this year, Parnell also joined the exclusive Association of Centenary Tennis Clubs giving members reciprocal access to historic venues worldwide including The Queen's Club in London.

Behind the marquee events the club has also grown its everyday participation. A partnership with the University of Auckland Tennis Club now brings 120+ students to weekly Friday sessions. Its Super Sundays programme has grown from two courts to six. New Family, Midweek and International membership categories have opened the club up to a wider range of people.

Congratulations Parnell Lawn Tennis Club.

Players of the Year Awards

Player of the Year / Erin Routliffe

It's been another outstanding year for our Player of the Year. Erin won her second US Open doubles title, added a WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati, and claimed another WTA title in Washington this year. She finished 2025 ranked No. 8 in the world and currently sits at No. 11. Erin also reached the mixed doubles quarter-finals at Roland-Garros and, in one of the season's most memorable moments, faced Serena Williams during Serena's return to competitive tennis before beating her in Berlin the following week.

Erin wasn't able to join us on the night as she's currently overseas gearing up for the US Open.

Junior Girl Player of the Year / Aishi Das

It's been a huge year for this young woman. Aishi won the ITF J100 Wellington and J60 Ashburton titles this year, reached the second round of the Australian Open Junior Championships, and picked up quarter and semi-final finishes at J200 and J300 level across Asia and Australia.

She earned a qualifying wildcard into this year's ASB Classic women's singles, where she took world No.105 Veronika Erjavec to two tight sets in front of a full Centre Court at Manuka Doctor Arena.

Aishi finished the year as New Zealand's number one ranked 18U player, with an ITF Junior Ranking of 138, and is now part of the New Zealand Billie Jean King Cup Senior Team.

Aishi also received he Chris Lewis Honours Award for being the highest ranked ITF junior girl in Auckland at year end 2025. The winners of these honours will have their names added to the Tennis Auckland Honours board in the foyer of the TotalCoach Tennis Centre.

Unfortunately Aishi couldn't join us on the night as she's overseas attending college at Auburn University in Alabama.

Junior Boy Player of the Year / Luca Bland

Luca started out at Cockle Bay Tennis Club, making his interclub debut for the club's men's team at 15. Luca has represented New Zealand at the Junior Davis Cup Asia/Oceania qualifying event in Kazakhstan, winning both his singles rubbers and combining with teammates to help secure ties against Iran and India. He backed that up with a strong run of results on the ITF Junior tour across the Tasman, including Round of 16 finishes at the J100 Auckland and J100 Launceston.

Late last year Luca was the Boys Singles Champion and Boys Doubles Champion, alongside Felix Littlejohn, at the J30 Albany event.

Earlier this year he stepped onto the professional stage for the first time at the ITF M25 in Timaru, reaching the doubles quarter-finals alongside partner Dan Milburn and picking up his first ATP professional doubles point in the process. During the ASB Classic he also spent a week inside Cameron Norrie's camp, working alongside his own coach James Greenhalgh, who coached Norrie in his junior years.

Luca also received he Chris Lewis Honours Award for being the highest ranked ITF junior boy in Auckland at year end 2025. The winners of these honours will have their names added to the Tennis Auckland Honours board in the foyer of the TotalCoach Tennis Centre.

Unfortunately Luca couldn't join us on the night as he was away in Sydney competing at the Oceania Junior Championships.

Honours Awards

The Tennis Auckland Honours Awards are open to club administrators, including both senior and junior committee members who have given outstanding service in the areas of administration and leadership in promoting the game of tennis within the community.

Silver Award (10+ Years' Service)

This award recognises those who have given long, active, and outstanding service to their club for ten years or more.

Congratulations to:

Neville Pegg (Riverside)
Laura Beattie (Sunnyhills)
Michelle Braid (Sunnyhills)

Gold Award (20+ Years' Service)

This award recognises those who have given long, active, and outstanding service to their club for twenty years or more.

Congratulations to:

Alistair Smith (Riverside)
Chris Oemcke (Glen Eden)
Frances Bostock (Sunnyhills)
Michael Petersen (Sunnyhills)
Jenny Richardson (Pakuranga)
Raema Inglis (Glen Eden)
Tony Jones (West Harbour)
Zaria Keys (Orakei)

Interclub Clubs of the Year

Midweek Interclub Club of the Year
Gladstone Tennis Club

Junior Interclub Club of the Year
Cockle Bay Tennis Club

Senior Interclub Club of the Year
Pompallier Lawn Tennis Club

Interclub Controller of the Year
Bucklands Beach Tennis Club

Interclub Pennant Winners

Senior Interclub
Caro Bowl Men — Next Gen
Caro Bowl Women — Parnell
Caro Bowl Reserve Men — Pompallier
Caro Bowl Reserve Women — Bucklands Beach
First Grade Men — Blockhouse & Pompallier
First Grade Women — Next Gen
Second Grade Men — Next Gen & Parnell
Open Women 1 — Howick
Open Men 1 – Pompallier
Ferrier Cup — Royal Oak
Presidents A — Howick
Open Presidents 1 — Cockle Bay

Midweek
Monday Champ 1 — Bucklands Beach
Monday Champ 2 — Howick
Monday Open 1 — Howick
Tuesday Champ 1 — Bucklands Beach
Tuesday Champ 2 — Gladstone
Tuesday Open 1 — Gladstone

Honouring Mark Lewis

The night was wrapped up by a special presentation to Mark Lewis for his almost 30 years of dedicated service to the organisation and the wider Auckland tennis community.