Eight finalists are set to lead South Australia at the upcoming 2018 Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards, following the announcement of finalists earlier today.
The annual awards ceremony will take place at the Crown Palladium, in Melbourne, on Monday 26 November, recognising the outstanding contribution of the wider tennis community.
South Australia is set to be represented in eight out of a possible 15 categories.
Head Coach at East Torrens Kensington Gardens, Hectorville and East Adelaide Payneham Tennis Clubs, Domenic Marafiote is a finalist for the Coaching Excellence Club award.
Sam Wall from Coromandel Valley Tennis Club has been announced as a finalist for the Coaching Excellence Development award, for the second year in a row.
Darren Cahill, former coach of world No.1s Simona Halep (ROU), Lleyton Hewitt (SA) and Andre Agassi (USA), meanwhile, is a finalist for the Coaching Excellence Performance award.
A club that is renowned for its culture of being welcoming, family-friendly and fun; Henley South Tennis Club is a finalist for the Most Outstanding Club.
A stalwart of the game for over 30 years, Riverland’s John Pick is a finalist for the Volunteer Achievement Award, and with a little over 100 students, Cobdogla Primary School will be vying for the Most Outstanding School title.
Robyn Tucker has been announced as a finalist for Excellence in Officiating and Dennis Haupt for the Most Outstanding 35+ Tennis Senior.
Tennis SA CEO Steven Baldas expressed his pride in the outstanding list of South Australian finalists.
“We are so incredibly proud to congratulate our eight South Australian finalists,” Baldas said.
“These finalists are tireless contributors to the sport of tennis. Their hard work, passion and enthusiasm is undeniable and today’s announcement is thoroughly well deserved.
“We wish them all the very best of luck and we will be proudly cheering them on!”
Please see below for a full list of South Australian finalists for the 2018 Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards:
Coaching Excellence Club
Domenic Marafiote (Kensington Gardens, SA)
Coaching Excellence Development
Sam Wall (Coromandel Valley, SA)
Coaching Excellence Performance
Darren Cahill (SA)
Excellence in Officiating
Robyn Tucker (SA)
Most Outstanding Club
Henley South Tennis Club (SA)
Most Outstanding School
Cobdogla Primary School (Cobdogla, SA)
Most Outstanding 35+ Tennis Senior
Dennis Haupt (SA)
Volunteer Achievement Award
John Pick (Renmark, SA)
Please see below for a full list of past South Australian recipients at the Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards:
2017
Helen Rice (Coaching Excellence – Club)
2014
Thanasi Kokkinakis (Junior Athlete of the Year – Male)
2013
Lleyton Hewitt (Newcombe Medal)
David Grainger (Coaching Excellence – ANZ Tennis Hot Shots)
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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