The historic CBH Group Country Championships will celebrate 100 years when hundreds of country tennis players descend at Alexander Park this Friday.
Longstanding supporters of country tennis for more than ten years, CBH Group will once again sponsor the Country Tennis Championships.
The Country Week Championships is one of the biggest tennis events in Western Australia and has a rich history with some of the best players in WA coming from the regional areas.
In its 100 years, Geraldton has been the most successful tennis region winning the men’s title 19 times, the most of any region, and the women’s title five times.
A key player in this success is due to former five-time men’s singles winner Daniel Bowen who was also part of 14 team titles for Geraldton and the Midwest when teams were changed to zones as opposed to clubs or towns.
Bowen’s most memorial times came from battles against Peter Holmes who won himself in 1997 and against Peter and Brad Rundle.
“Peter Holmes was always a tough and competitive player. I went to school with him and had a win against him in 1975 U/16 singles and then went on to play doubles with him at Aquinas before 10 years of battling Albany in the teams’ events and singles finals.”
“Peter and Brad Rundle were great competitors and compatriots on and off the court and do remember taking Brad out with a volley. Was totally unintentional and thought that would work in our favour but they went on to win the match and the title.”
“My fondest moment was winning the teams event with my son Josh and watching him win the singles title.” Said Bowen.
A key feature of several Country Week Carnivals was the number of team and individual titles taken by strong tennis families.
The Patten family from Geraldton were formidable with Darren Patten winning the men’s singles in 1987 and Brett Patten winning in 1989. In both these years, Geraldton won the teams title, with father Don Patten a member.
Tennis West CEO Brett Patten highlighted the significance of the event and how the carnival was a great chance for families to come together and re-ignite country week back to its former glory.
“It was the biggest event on the calendar for regional clubs we used to get over 1,000 players, it was a tournament that you absolutely wanted to win,” he said.
“Coming out of the regions you felt like if you get a win at country week then it could springboard you onto tennis scene in Perth and you felt worthy you could compete.
“The 100-year celebration is a chance to reinvigorate the tournament and regional tennis. Community sport is so critical in the regions because, you know, coming out of COVID, and we saw that people sort of needing that connection and needed the physical and emotional wellbeing,” he said.
To celebrate 100 years the tournament will be honouring country week legends from years gone past.
“We’re going to induct over 100 country legends in either participation or championships in our big celebration on Saturday night, April 15,” he said.
“It’s a terrific opportunity just to bring all those traditional key regional stakeholders back into the folds of the country week again, and really reignite the passion back in the country tennis.”
“They’ve given their blood to support the growth of tennis, within their towns within their clubs, bringing them all back to induct them into the 100th year, anniversary country week and inducting them into a legend status is just going to be a wonderful occasion.”
The CBH Country Week Championships start on April 14 at Alexander Park Tennis Club.
List of singles championship winners from 1996 to Present:
| Year | Men’s Challenge Cup | Women’s Perpetual Trophy |
| 1996 | D. Bowen | B. Koenig |
| 1997 | P. Holmes | B. Koenig |
| 1998 | R. Offer | D. Alibrandi |
| 1999 | R. Offer | B. Koenig |
| 2000 | D. Bowen | N. Cox
B. Koenig |
| 2001 | D. Bowen | D. Borthwick |
| 2002 | G. Quartermaine | D. Borthwick |
| 2003 | M. Armstrong | D. Borthwick |
| 2004 | A. Gell | A. Kanther |
| 2005 | A. Gell | B. Sheed |
| 2006 | A. Gell | S. Douthie |
| 2007 | P. Starkie | S. Hennessey |
| 2008 | D. Bignell | S. Hennessey |
| 2009 | R. Offer | J. Krummenacher |
| 2010 | D. Bignell | J. Krummenacher |
| 2011 | D. Bignell | S. Hennessey |
| 2012 | P. Starkie | J. Krummenacher |
| 2013 | J. Kretschmann | C. Edwards |
| 2014 | J. Bowen | N. Delaney |
| 2015 | P. Starkie | D. Thomson |
| 2016 | S. Galati | S. Hennessey |
| 2017 | S. Galati | S. Hennessey |
| 2018 | B. Crear | L. Braddock |
| 2019 | J. Kretschmann | L. Braddock |
| 2020 | B. Clark | H. Nicholls |
| 2021 | No Event | No Event |
| 2022 | J. Carter | No Event |
List of team winners from 1996 to Present:
| Year | Men’s (F.W. Goldsmith Trophy) | Women’s (Championship Cup) |
| 1996 | Binnu – Geraldton | Mandurah |
| 1997 | Katanning | Pingelly/Boddington |
| 1998 | Albany/Lawley Park/Emu Point | C&S Albany |
| 1999 | Albany/Lawley Park/Emu Point | C&S Albany |
| 2000 | Katanning | Eastern Goldfields |
| 2001 | Geraldton | Toolibin |
| 2002 | Geraldton | Geraldton/Spalding Park |
| 2003 | Geraldton | Busselton |
| 2004 | Geraldton | Narrogin/Bunbury |
| 2005 | Goldfields | Eastern Goldfields |
| 2006 | Geraldton | Busselton/Margaret River |
| 2007 | Margaret River/Manjimup/Bunbury | Narrogin/Toolibin |
| 2008 | Bunbury/Margaret River | Mandurah |
| 2009 | Broome/Manjimup/Mandurah | Narrogin |
| 2010 | Katanning | Geraldton |
| 2011 | Bridgetown/Busselton/Bunbury | Narrogin |
| 2012 | Geraldton/Tarcoola | Geraldton |
| 2013 | Midwest | Lower Great Southern |
| 2014 | Midwest | Lower Great Southern |
| 2015 | Southwest | Upper Great Southern |
| 2016 | Southwest | Upper Great Southern |
| 2017 | Southwest | Upper Great Southern |
| 2018 | Midwest | Upper Great Southern |
| 2019 | Midwest | Great Southerm |
| 2020 | ||
| 2021 | No Event | No Event |
| 2022 | No Event | No Event |
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