Waikato Tennis Trust

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

National Volunteer Week is coming up on 14–20 June 2026, and we’d love to take this opportunity to celebrate the incredible volunteers who keep our tennis community thriving.

We are asking each club to send us the name of at least one volunteer to recognise. Whether they’ve been around forever or are just starting their volunteer journey, we want to hear about them.

Email us ([email protected]):

• Name of the volunteer
• Name of your tennis club
• A few words about why they’re awesome (Feel free to get creative — “Court Sweeper Extraordinaire”, “The Hedge Trimmer”, “The Fix It Wizard”, “The Gardener”, … anything goes!)
• A photo, if you have one - but don't let that delay your nomination!

We will be celebrating these amazing people on Facebook throughout the week. We’d love to hear from every club. Go on — send us your volunteer hero!

🎾 WE'RE HIRING A TENNIS COACH! 🎾
We’re looking for a passionate and motivated Tennis Coach to join our team!
If you love developing players, creating a positive learning environment, and helping athletes reach their full potential, we'd love to hear from you.

✅ Experience coaching players of various ages and skill levels�✅ Strong communication and leadership skills�✅ Passion for player development and the game of tennis�✅ Reliable, energetic, and team-oriented

📍 Location: Hamilton�📅 Flexible opportunities available
Interested? Email us at [email protected] with your coaching experience and qualifications.
Join us in inspiring the next generation of tennis players! 🎾💪

EASTERN GRADED TOURNAMENT RETURNS THIS AUGUST

Looking for some competitive match play and a chance to win some serious prize money?

The Tennis Eastern Graded Tournament is set for Sunday 16 August at Greendale Tennis Club and is shaping up to be one of the biggest junior graded events on the calendar!

$1,500 Total Prize Pool
17U Boys Winner: $300
17U Girls Winner: $300

Graded competition for players of all levels
Great match play experience
Valuable tournament points and competitive opportunities
Whether you're chasing tournament success, looking to test yourself against quality opposition, or simply keen to enjoy a great day of tennis, this is an event you won't want to miss.

Sunday 16 August
Greendale Tennis Club
$1,500 Prize Pool on offer

JUNIOR INTERCLUB PRIZE GIVING
What a fantastic way to wrap up another awesome Junior Interclub season!

A big thank you to all the players, parents, supporters, and team managers who joined us for our end of season Prize Giving celebration. It was great to see so many families come together to celebrate the effort, sportsmanship, friendships, and fun that made this season such a success.

A special thanks to Coach Julia for organising the post prize giving matches and activities, which were a huge hit with the kids.

We’d also like to acknowledge our Board Chair Jason Cargo for helping present certificates and keeping everyone well fed on the BBQ duties.

And lastly, a massive thank you to Rosie Smith for the incredible work done behind the scenes throughout the season. From coordinating draws and communication, to bringing the Junior Prize Giving back onto the calendar, your time and dedication are hugely appreciated by our tennis community.

Chinese Tennis Doubles Invitational

Waikato Tennis Trust is excited to support and host the upcoming Chinese Tennis Doubles Invitational, bringing together tennis players from across the community for a fun and social day of doubles tennis.

Whether you're an experienced player or relatively new to the game, this event is designed to be welcoming, inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.

Saturday 27 June 2026
9:00am to 1:00pm
Waikato Tennis Centre
$20 per person

Event Highlights:
• Rotating doubles partner format
• 3 indoor courts
• 4 hours of non stop tennis
• Open to all genders and ages
• Multiple playing divisions available
• Sudden death scoring format
• Free Diadem Pickleball demonstration

This is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, enjoy some friendly competition and connect with the growing Chinese tennis community in the Waikato.

Spaces are limited, so be sure to register early via the QR code on the event poster.

A big thank you to our event supporters, Diadem and Waikato Tennis Trust.

THANDO THEBE PRE TOUR TENNIS SHOWCASE

Join us at the Waikato Tennis Centre on Sunday 21 June for a special afternoon as we celebrate one of Waikato's rising tennis talents, Thando Thebe, before he departs for an exciting international tour to Australia and Thailand.

Thando has worked incredibly hard both on and off the court and is now preparing to test himself against international competition on the professional tennis circuit. Before he leaves New Zealand, this is your chance to see him in action on home soil and witness the level of tennis he has developed through his dedication and commitment to his game.

Waikato Tennis Centre
Sunday 21 June 2026
Showcase Match Commences at 1.00pm

The showcase will be held alongside the Waikato Tecnifibre Singles Graded Tournament, creating a fantastic day of tennis with players from across the region competing throughout the day.
Come along and support Thando, meet his sponsors and supporters and help send him off in style as he embarks on this exciting next chapter of his tennis journey.

We wish Thando every success in Australia and Thailand and look forward to following his results on tour.

Great action and leadership shown by Waikato Junior Rugby League and Matthew Cooper!

Sideline abuse ‘needed to be called out’ - Sport Waikato boss Unruly spectators are affecting the game and the young people playing it, Matthew Cooper says after recent violent and verbal incidents.

A dream start for the Kiwis at Roland Garros overnight!
Michael Venus and Erin Routliffe both opened their French Open doubles campaigns with impressive first round victories,
Even more exciting, rising young New Zealanders James Watt and Finn Reynolds have officially been accepted into the Roland Garros doubles main draw for their Grand Slam debut, an incredible achievement and a huge moment for the future of Kiwi tennis!
Good luck to all our Kiwis competing in Paris this week.

Routliffe & Venus Win, Watt & Reynolds In Today was a dream start for the New Zealand contingent at Roland-Garros, with Erin Routliffe and Michael Venus both securing round one victories, while the young New Zealand doubles team of James Watt and Finn Reynolds have been accepted into the main doubles draw. Watt, from South Canterbury, and ...

Unfortunately, this weekend’s scheduled Waikato / Thames Valley Closed Tournament has been cancelled due to low entry numbers.

WTT remains committed to delivering this event and celebrating our regional players and tennis community.
We’ll now be exploring different options and formats to help make the tournament viable moving forward.

We appreciate everyone who showed interest and supported the event, and we’ll keep the community updated once further plans are confirmed.