South Australia claimed a record breaking four awards at the 2022 Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards held at the Palladium at Crown in Melbourne on Monday night.
On a night that recognises players, coaches, clubs, communities, volunteers and officials for their service to the sport, South Australia took out the Coaching Excellence – Club, Junior Athlete of the Year – Male, Excellence in Officiating and Volunteer Achievement awards.
David Grainger, Edward Winter, Robyn Tucker and Julie Polkinghorne were each recognised for their commitment and dedication to tennis in South Australia.
Henley South Tennis Club Head Coach David Grainger was announced as winner of the Coaching Excellence – Club category.
With the goal of making tennis fun, Grainger creates a welcoming environment where players have the maximum opportunity to participate and achieve success regardless of their age, ability or background.
This is Grainger’s second Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Award having won the Coaching Excellence – Tennis Hot Shots award in 2013. It is also the third award in five years for Henley South Tennis Club after being named as the Most Outstanding Tennis Club in 2018 and Darren Wunderer receiving the Volunteer Achievement Award in 2019.
“It was an honour to be nominated, I had no idea that I would come away with this award,” Grainger said.
“I would like to acknowledge all of the other coaches who have been nominated for this award. I am very honoured to be selected.”
After being a finalist in 2021, Edward Winter was named as the winner of the Junior Athlete of the Year – Male category.
Winter reached a career high ITF Junior world ranking of 66 in April 2022 and played at each of the four junior Grand Slams, including main draw appearances at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open. Winter won his first ITF World Tennis Tour singles title in Traralgon last month.
“I am really excited. There are so many great past names who have won this award,” Winter said.
“I am really thrilled and honoured to be here and to receive this award.”
It was second time lucky for Robyn Tucker in the Excellence in Officiating category.
Tucker is a dedicated and professional tennis official who has risen through the ranks of officiating in Australia. Earlier this year she attended the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Level 3 Officiating School in Orlando, Florida, returning as an ITF Silver Badge Referee.
“This is amazing. The two nominees I was up against, I know very well and they are such nice guys who are very good at their jobs,” Tucker said.
“I have always been involved in tennis. I got in to officiating and I have loved every moment of it, I love helping the sport of tennis.”
After 20 years at Port Lincoln Tennis Association, Julie Polkinghorne was announced as the winner of the Volunteer Achievement Award, seeing this award return to South Australia for the third time in five years.
Polkinghorne has been a tireless volunteer, with key projects including player pathway, facility redevelopment, business planning and access to coaching, as well as being a driving force behind the inaugural Tennis SA State League All Stars event in 2021.
“This is amazing. Getting awards isn’t why I do what I do, but when you are recognised, especially by your governing body, it is just amazing. I am very very humbled,” Polkinghorne said.
“We are so excited to have celebrated our seven finalists and four winners at the Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards on Monday night,” said Tennis SA CEO, Debbie Sterrey.
“We are simply thrilled to walk away with a record breaking four South Australian award winners. David, Edward, Robyn and Julie are wonderful ambassadors for our sport and I couldn’t be more proud to congratulate them on their success.”
The full list of award winners is as follows:
Newcombe Medal
Ash Barty (Qld)
Spirit of Tennis
Evonne Goolagong Cawley (NSW)
Coaching Excellence – Club
David Grainger, Henley South Tennis Club (SA)
Coaching Excellence – Development
Luke Bourgeois, Voyager Tennis Academy (NSW)
Coaching Excellence – Performance
Craig Tyzzer (Vic)
Excellence in Officiating
Robyn Tucker (SA)
Female Junior Athlete of the Year
Talia Gibson (WA) and Taylah Preston (WA)
Male Junior Athlete of the Year
Edward Winter (SA)
Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability
Heath Davidson (Vic)
Most Outstanding Tennis Club
Collaroy Tennis Club (NSW)
Most Outstanding Professional Tournament
Euroa Lawn Tennis Club Labour Day (Vic)
Most Outstanding School
Aitken Creek Primary School (Vic)
Most Outstanding 35+ Tennis Senior
Jarrod Broadbent (Vic)
Volunteer Achievement Award
Julie Polkinghorne (SA)
Please see below, full list of past South Australian recipients at the Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards:
2022
David Grainger (Coaching Excellence – Club)
Robyn Tucker (Excellence in Officiating)
Edward Winter (Male Junior Athlete of the Year)
Julie Polkinghorne (Volunteer Achievement Award)
2021
Domenic Marafiote (Coaching Excellence – Club)
Sam Wall (Coaching Excellence – Development)
Cobdogla Primary School (Most Outstanding School)
2020
Event not held due to COVID pandemic
2019
Darren Wunderer (Volunteer Achievement Award)
Elizabeth North Primary School (Most Outstanding School)
City of Playford Tennis International (Most Outstanding Professional Tournament)
2018
Henley South Tennis Club (Most Outstanding Club)
Darren Cahill (Coaching Excellence – High Performance)
John Pick (Volunteer Achievement Award)
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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