After being at this year’s Australian Open, President of Great Britain Lawn Tennis Association David Rawlinson drove to Yarrawonga to see his good friend, ClubMulwala CEO Alan Rowe and called into the Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club. Here he is photographed with players of the weekly Tuesday Ladies Competition, from left, Ellen Bruce, Libby Edis, Win Win Htwe, Gert Brunner, Kura Fraser, Marg Best, Helen White and Amy Lairson.
The day after the 2022 Australian Open ended last Sunday week in Melbourne, Great Britain Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) President David Rawlinson hired a car and drove to Yarrawonga to see his good friend, ClubMulwala Chief Executive Officer Alan Rowe.
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As the Deputy President a few years ago, Mr Rawlinson was invited by Mr Rowe to visit Yarrawonga Mulwala.
Mr Rawlinson recalled that invitation day. “I went up and spoke to Alan and said he’d been to Wimbledon,” he explained to the Yarrawonga Chronicle. “It was a chance meeting at the Australian Open.
“I could see he was a committed tennis fan, watching each and every minute of games. We kept in touch. I invited him and (partner) Jackie over to Wimbledon.”
“We became very close friends,” the MulwalaClub CEO said. “As David invited Jackie and me to Wimbledon, I wanted to return the favour. It’s just fantastic having him up here.
Great Britain Lawn Tennis Association President David Rawlinson with ClubMulwala Chief Executive Officer Alan Rowe at the Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club.
“To have the privilege of having British Lawn Tennis Royalty come to Yarrawonga is a great filter for tennis in Australia, in Yarrawonga.”
The LTA is the National Governing Body for tennis in Great Britain, its role is to govern and grow tennis in Britain, from grassroots participation through to the professional game. It plays an important part in ensuring the popularity and future of tennis.
David joined the Board in 2014 as a Council-elected Non-Executive Director, and thereafter became (and remains) a Board member as the LTA Deputy President on 1 January 2017 and then as LTA President from 1 January 2020.
He joined the LTA Council in 2006 representing Bedfordshire where he has served as Treasurer, Sponsorship Co-ordinator, Men’s Captain and Lead Volunteer. David serves on the Remuneration Committee, the Council Nominations Committee and the Board Nominations Committee.
David is an active player and competes in National and International Seniors’ Tournaments.
He has represented Bedfordshire at County level in the Men’s and Seniors’ teams and has played for England in the Four Nations Seniors’ competition. A national doubles champion, David is a practising Chartered Accountant and a Rotarian.
“The president’s role is a three-year term and a full-time voluntary role,” he said. “I run four council meetings a year, we develop strategy for the LTA and the Executive Council implements it. The LTA has seven committees of management members who join 12 from the All England Lawn Tennis Club and we are together jointly responsible for the championship at Wimbledon.”
With racquet and ball in his hands, it was English tennis royalty with David Rawlinson about to have a hit in Yarrawonga.
David has been to over 50 Wimbledons – his first being in 1969 – and witnessed Ash Barty’s win last year. He enjoyed the 2022 Australian Open.
“It was a very good event,” he said. “All four Grand Slams (Wimbledon, USA, French and Australian Opens) are different. Melbourne can have, at present (80% capacity allowed/Covid-19) 70,000 people a day with daytime and night-time, Melbourne lets the sport take over with signage – on trams, everywhere – and the location is great within walking distance from the city centre.” “It’s the sporting capital of the world!” quipped the ClubMulwala CEO.
In the men’s final on the Sunday, Spain’s Rafal Nadal defeated Danil Medvedev of Russia 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, a match lasting 5 hours 24 minutes, giving Nadal his 21st grand slam, overtaking Swiss Roger Federer and Serbian Novak Djokovic.
The day before, Australia’s Ash Barty won her third grand slam beating American Danielle Collins 6-2, 7-5.
Both winning champions fought back from tough positions, Nadal losing the first two sets and Ash down 1-5 in the second set before clinching the set and match.
Seven-time Australian Open title holder world champion, Australia’s Dylan Alcott who was named 2022 Australian of the Year by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, has had a magnificent career, retiring after missing out in this year’s quad wheelchair final to Dutch player Sam Schroder.
“It was absolutely marvellous tennis by Rafael and he created history in Melbourne,” David said. “Ash was absolutely marvellous too and is a great supporter of both genders for tennis. She has such a profile in women’s tennis.
“I met Dylan and spoke to him. He’s an outstanding player and character.”
Australians Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis beat fellow Australians Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell in the men’s doubles final 7-5, 6-4.
What are your thoughts on an able-bodied man, supremely fit and athletic, serving the occasional underarm, as Nick Kyrgios does - when receivers are, expectedly, behind the baseline or wherever they stand to receive?
“Nick Kyrgios is huge for the game. He plays within the rules. I’m not aware of any plans to change the rule. A serve you hit before it bounces. I’m not an objector but pleased it’s rarely used.”
Also asked about Danil Medvedev who beat Kyrgios after being booed seemingly very unfairly in that match, David said: “Danil is a great player, number 2 in the world, he’s won a Grand Slam (US Open in 2017) and he is going to win more.”
The British Lawn Tennis President was most impressed with Yarrawonga Mulwala, including Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club which has been highly praised over the years by Tennis Australia and Tennis Victoria officials.
“The courts look very good and are a credit to the curator and club,” he said. “It’s a superb facility for a town of this size.”
Representing the weekly Tuesday competition ladies Gert Brunner said it was “wonderful” to see David in Yarrawonga and “particularly at our club”. “It’s a privilege to have someone of David’s standing here,” she added.
