13 December 2010 | Tennis Tasmania

The Burnie International has received the 2010 Most Outstanding Tournament Award at the  inaugural black tie Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards in Melbourne last Friday night.  

The other finalists in this Award category were Cliffs Esperance International (WA) and Cairns International Pro Tour (QLD).  

Anthony Johnstone of the Burnie International had the honour of accepting the Australian Tennis Award from tennis great and CEO of the International Group of the ATP, Brad Drewett.  

“It is great recognition of all the hard work the club has put in over the past 10 years,” Johnstone said. “We’ve been running a Futures tournament for a few years and then we put on Challenger tournament, which we’ve been running for the past seven to eight years.  

“This Award will give recognition to the volunteers and the hard work they have put in.”   

Nominations for this prestigious award were received over a three week period from 15 October 2010 to 5 November 2010, with finalists, and the eventual winner, selected through rigorous process with specific eligibility and selection criteria.   

The Newcombe Medal is the premier award on a night that recognises service to tennis at all levels – club, coaches, players, volunteers, community and officials.  

The inaugural Newcombe Medal was presented to Australia’s most outstanding elite player, Samantha Stosur, current world No. 6, in recognition of the achievements of Australian tennis legend John Newcombe.  

“I think it is a great honour,” Stosur said.  “It is a really good initiative of Tennis Australia to put a night like this together for everyone to celebrate our sport. So to be the first winner of the Newcombe Medal is very special.  

“Tennis is such a huge part of our culture in Australia, we’ve obviously got a great history and we’re trying to continue that now.  

“You can only have that with clubs around the nation.  

“I think for them to get the recognition for doing their best – putting in new courts, updating facilities, and having members and getting people out there playing is fantastic and getting recognition for that will help them strive and do more and do whatever they can.”  

The winners for the 14 Award categories are as follows:  

Coaching Excellence – Club
Brett Lennard, ACT   

Coaching Excellence – High Performance
David Taylor, NSW   

Coaching Excellence – MLC Tennis Hot Shots
Matthew Bull, WA   

Excellence in Officiating
Kerrilyn Cramer, Vic   

Junior Athlete of the Year (Female)
Ashleigh Barty, QLD   

Junior Athlete of the Year (Male)
Bernard Tomic, QLD   

Most Outstanding 35+ Tennis Senior
Andrew Rae, Vic   

Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability
Daniela di Toro, Vic   

Most Outstanding Club
Gove Peninsula Tennis Club, NT   

Most Outstanding Tennis Community
Kendall Tennis Club, NSW   

Most Outstanding Tournament
Burnie International, TAS   

Volunteer Achievement Award
Ross and Allen Smythe, QLD   

Spirit of Tennis Award
Peter Luczak, Vic  

Newcombe Medal
Samantha Stosur, QLD