August Captains Report

CAPTAINS REPORT AUGUST 2025 - PETER HARDING

Again, my personal thanks to all the Match Managers who put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to not only arrange the venue for their match but also bringing together the team to participate in that event. It is not easy!

Whether we win or come second the overriding factors are the enjoyment in representing the IC of GB, proudly wearing the Adidas logoed kit and giving ones best on the court.

To date 98 players have represented the IC of GB in matches this year.
Sixty seven men and thirty one ladies have represented the IC of GB to date with three men playing in three matches, nineteen men playing in two matches, three ladies playing in three matches and three ladies playing in two matches. To play one match is in itself terrific, especially in this time, when there are business commitments, family commitments and many other similarly important commitments.
My thanks and congratulations to all of you who have represented the IC of GB this year.
Peter Harding

The following fixtures were played in August:

IC of USA vs IC of GB - THE TED AVORY CUP

Venue: Longwood Cricket Club, Boston, USA
Age Groups: Open - 70s
Surface: Grass (with clay back-up)

Result: IC of USA 16 – 12 IC of GB

The IC of USA hosted the IC of GB at the historic Longwood Cricket Club in Boston for a spirited contest across age groups from Open to +70s. Heavy rain forced the opening day of play onto clay courts, but the remainder of the fixture returned to the traditional grass courts, where the GB team tried their hand at adapting to the low bounces of LCC grass!

What makes this fixture truly special is its unique format: few matches bring together such a wide range of age groups, with players competing from the open category right up to the 70s/80s. Many players play in numerous Ted Avory events, with some taking part in as many as eight/nine Ted Avory Cups over the course of their playing careers, giving it a special camaraderie and tradition that ensures it remains a highlight of the IC calendar. This match is one that Members are always eager to be part of.

As always, the USA fielded a very strong Ted Avory team, whilst the matches were competitive throughout, contested in excellent spirit and showcased high-quality tennis across both days. Ultimately, the home team prevailed 16–12 to retain the Ted Avory Cup, but the scoreline reflected the close nature of many encounters.

Another fantastic tradition of this match is the offering of honorary membership from both countries to anyone on the opposing team who has shown great commitment to the Ted Avory match. On this occasion, Mark Whitehouse was awarded honorary USIC membership having played his third Ted Avory match, and Rick Fried was awarded honorary IC of GB membership for playing in multiple Ted Avory Cups over the years.

Following the tennis, players were treated to a memorable trip to Newport for the International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and then some went on to NYC to watch the US Open, rounding off a truly special trip to the USA. The IC of GB extends warm thanks to the IC of USA for their generous hospitality and a superbly organised event. Thank you also to the GB team for their commitment to Ted Avory 2025!

IC of GB Ted Avory 2025 Team Members:

- Amanda Elliott (Captain)
- Stephanie Cornish
- Jo Shepherd
- Christine French
- Anne Clark
- Cath Davies
- Mark Whitehouse
- Rob Leck
- Martin Cornish
- Paul French
- Phil Cliff
- Neil Howitt
- Andrew Hutchinson

Amanda Elliott
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AVIGNON - 20th-23rd AUGUST 2025

10ème Trophée Robert Abdesselam - Tennis Club Avignon-Montolivet

GB team - Rupert North (Captain), Graeme Adams, Lorraine Ristic, Deborah Schmidt.

RESULTS:
1st FRANCE - 9
2nd SPAIN - 7
3rd BELGIUM - 4
4th GREAT BRITAIN - 2

On this occasion, sadly we were not les vainquers. However, our small team certainly challenged the impressive talent we came up against in Avignon. Now in its 10th year, teams from France, Spain, Belgium and Great Britain gathered to compete for the Trophée Robert Abdesselam.

It goes without saying that our team manager Peter Harding did a brilliant job of planning and liaising in the weeks running up to this event. Planes, trains and automobiles were used to get ourselves to the venue. Some of us left several days before to make an extended trip whilst others whizzed down in a day.

The team, none of us had previously met but all had been playing and competing regularly in the various summer grass court ITFs or similar competitions and doing very well getting through to either the semis or finals themselves.

Graeme Adams - our hugely dependable Man from the Midlands with such a nice easy-going manner has clearly played everywhere. Graeme has the unique ability to remember with such recall minute details of all his past matches including names, scores and overall results going back years!

Deborah - fit, fast and prepared for any eventuality. Her game was built around precise logic - a blessing in any crisis!

Lorraine - a stylish seasoned competitor who arrived with a big smile and in the mood for competition. Off court, Lorraine ventured out to see the area only to return to the club tempted by a chateau, vineyard and a vintage car … thankfully none of these were for sale!

The other teams brought six players to include two reserves, three men and three ladies. We toughed it out with only four but it meant we got to know our opponents very well as we played against each country with men’s and ladies doubles followed by a mixed each morning. Not only were the various teams very good company but we quickly discovered they were also very strong with several having high rankings in their age category.

After a shortened practice outdoors, a deluge meant that our first match the following day was moved to the indoor clay. Due to rain, captains were obliged to draw straws for order of play deciding which teams played who first and to decide morning or afternoon matches. Frustratingly, we played the best teams first - France, Spain, Belgium in that order. Once on the preferable outside courts, we played some close sets against France and Spain’s best pairings. Despite the sets not turning in our favour, I was told by the referee and organisers how lovely it was to watch such good tennis. The weather was eventually better behaved than was forecast and with 30 degrees and some light breeze, nothing to really use as an excuse!

Thanks once again to Peter for generously kitting the team out in smart Adidas complete with IC emblem, and for his reassuring encouragement on the team WhatsApp.
A suitable moment was found at the Friday evening’s tournament dinner to say a few words of thanks and to raise a glass whilst our team handed out the gratefully received GB IC gifts to all the teams.

N.B. May I congratulate Deborah who the following week went onto win the singles Over 60s+ in the Eastbourne ITF - we’d like, of course, to think our trip added a snippet to her momentum.
Rupert North

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The GOTTFRIED VON CRAMM (GvC) TROPHY - 28th - 31st August

The Gottfried von Cramm (GvC) trophy is one of the newest events to join the IC calendar, established just two years ago as a biennial competition held in Germany and named after the founder of their IC. Targeted at ages 28-44, it aims to get the slightly more recently retired players participating in IC events, featuring competitive tennis as well as the usual IC social festivities. This year's GB team of myself and Pedro Ocana started our trip with a rendezvous at Frankfurt airport before navigating to the Frankfurter Palmengarten Tennis Club, an impressive club of 17 clay courts on the outskirts of the city. There we met Alex Kurucz, President of IC Germany and club manager Juergen Hackauff and his wife Beata who would entertain us fabulously over the next three days. After a warm up hit where we just about started to adjust to the red clay, we headed to the club restaurant for a welcome dinner with the other teams who had arrived throughout the afternoon. There were five teams in this year's competition; GB, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and a Canada/Switzerland hybrid aka "Canderland".

An amended format was in place to accommodate five teams across three days of play. We would play against every team in a round robin format, with each tie consisting of a short sets men's and women's singles followed by a mixed doubles match tiebreak. On day one we started our campaign against Canderland, with myself and Pedro scooping up a 3-0 victory in the morning. We took advantage of having only one match that day by heading into the city for the afternoon, including a wander through a rather lively international food festival that was taking place along the banks of the river Main. We then met the other teams at a restaurant in the city, where we were treated by Alex to some classic German food including schnitzel and Frankfurter Kranz "Crown", a local cake.

On day two we had two ties to play, taking on first Luxembourg and then Spain. After a strong start racing ahead on both courts, we both dropped our second sets before rebounding to claim the two singles in tiebreaks; clutch victories that would prove good practice for the remaining ties. We also picked up a convincing win in the mixed doubles to take the tie 3-0. A special mention should go to Luxembourg for the most unusual team gift - a cleaning sponge in the shape of their small nation! After a tasty lunch we got ready to take on Spain who were also yet to be defeated. Pedro was especially pumped up for this match, having grown up in Spain he was keen to get the win for GB over his home nation. We came out very fast again, somehow outmanoeuvring our opponents on their natural surface and taking both first sets. Unfortunately, just as we were both in full swing the heavens opened, quickly transforming the courts into lakes and forcing us into a rain delay. Luckily, it appears that superior German engineering standards extend even to tennis courts as somewhat miraculously they were back ready for play within 90 minutes. Not so ready for play were us Brits however, and we again both found ourselves battling it out in match tiebreaks. Pedro narrowly lost out in his, but I managed to come back from a 5-2 deficit to keep us alive for the doubles. Here we really came into our own, clearly inspired by recent British success on the doubles court and with some top class volleys from Pedro, we secured a comfortable 10-2 win.

After a long day of tennis and with glutes aching from the clay, we returned back to the hotel to shower and dress for the final dinner. A wonderful meal of steak, cocktails and strudel was kindly served to us as we chatted and laughed with all the players we had bonded with over the last couple of days. It was a wonderful evening to close out the last night of the event. On the final morning we headed back to the courts one last time to take on Germany in a battle for the title. While Germany has lost out 2-1 to Spain, they were still in with a shot of the trophy if they could beat us. Unfortunately, the Germen's men's player had suffered an injury and was unable to play singles, so it was just the ladies singles to start. After losing the first set to a better opponent, I managed to switch my tactics up with some bigger hitting to win the second set and ultimately the tiebreak to win the tie. A very hard fought win which showcased the quality of the competition across the event. The teams all congregated for the trophy ceremony where we graciously thanked our hosts, before saying goodbye and heading home after a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

A huge thank you to the IC of Germany for hosting the event, and to the IC of GB for their ongoing support!

Emily Arbuthnott

Results
IC of GB def. IC of Canada/Switzerland 3-0
IC of GB def. IC of Luxembourg 3-0
IC of GB def. IC of Spain 2-1
IC of GB def. IC of Germany 2-0

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IC TENNIS AND GOLF

IC of Great Britain vs The IC’s of France, Spain and Belgium
Dates: Weekend of 6^th and 7^th of September, 2025
Venue: Le Touquet, France
Result: IC of GB beat Belgium 4-3, then lost to France in the final 4½ - 2½

TEAM:
Neil Howitt (captain)
Andrew Creighton
Andrew Hutchinson
Gareth Hutchinson
Greg Kraushar

Our team arrived in the wonderful French resort of Le Touquet, slightly apprehensive about the task of defending the trophy following the fine win by Dan Lobb’s team the year before. The over 45 tennis qualification meant that all the additional experience in our team would have to count, and count it did, albeit mostly on the golf course.
Day one saw the two Andrews clinch a high quality doubles match in a final set tie break, which kept us in the match at 3-1 down with three golf matches to come. This toe hold proved all that we needed on La Foret course. Neil and Gareth both won their singles comfortably, allowing the two Andrews to finish what they started, winning their fourball in style to deliver the 4-3 overall win.
On day two we faced our hosts France in the final. Again we struggled on court and despite Neil pushing the French no1 close in his singles, this time it was all over after the tennis. Three very close golf matches followed on La Mer course, all of which were decided on the 18^th hole. Greg and Gareth both came from behind to win their singles, and the two Andrew’s won the 18^th to halve their fourball, closing the gap and resulting in a final score of 4½ - 2½ to France.
After the matches were complete, we were very honoured to be joined by Marielle Parent, the deputy mayor of Le Touquet, who presented the prizes to the winners before a cocktail party concluded proceedings. We were also joined over the weekend by Patrick Doussot, a long-time member of the IC of France and prominent Le Touquet resident, and by Alexis Doudon, president of the Le Touquet tennis club.
We all thanked Jaccques-Edouard Goulard, the French team captain, for hosting such an excellent and enjoyable event, and we thanked our hosts at Le Touquet for a magnificent venue.
Neil Howitt

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IC OF CANADA 60^th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Read about the IC of Canada 60^th Anniversary Celebrations in the forthcoming September Captain’s report, We came second, no, not out of two! The following countries competed: USA, Canada, Mexico, Barbados, Bahamas, Argentina, Great Britain.

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Adidas Clothing

Now that Winter is approaching I have been in discussions with Adidas regarding the availability and cost of walk on jackets as a number of our Members have enquired about them. Please see below the photos of these jackets.

The maximum cost will be £45.00.

Men’s White Jacket IT2265 Women's White Jacket IT2028
S x 2 XS x 15
M x 8 S x 10
L x 8 M x 7
XL x 8 L x 10

Please could you kindly let me know if you are interested in these jackets, they will have the IC logo on them. Those of you who have already let me know you would like a jacket need not reply - peterjharding48@gmail.com
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Finally a couple of big events coming up in 2026 in South Africa and India
Please let Adrian Blackman know if you are interested in taking part....

IC 4 Nations Tournament in Cape Town
South Africa, Great Britain, Australia & New Zealand
March 19th - 22nd March 2026

We are looking for players interested in representing the IC of GB in this wonderful IC 4 Nations Event in Cape Town, South Africa from Thursday 19th March to Sunday 22nd March 2026.

Please email Adrian Blackman - ajblackman@reeds.surrey.sch.uk if you are interested in taking part!!
The full fact sheet is HERE
IC 4 NATIONS TOURNAMENT
“Hands across the net, friendship across the ocean”
Where: Cape Town, South Africa | 19–22 March 2026
Tournament Venues:
- The Glen Tennis Club (Sea Point) – scenic courts at the foot of Lion’s Head.
- Fresnaye Tennis Club (Bantry Bay) – classic seaside setting, 5 minutes from The Glen.
Both clubs are centrally located near Sea Point Promenade, beaches, restaurants, and hotels.
Tournament Format:

Age Category: Combined ages per team 190+
Team Composition: 4 men and 4 ladies per team
Match Format: 3 men’s doubles, 3 ladies’ doubles (partner rotations), plus one mixed match per day

Schedule:
• Thursday, 19 March – Team arrivals, Welcome Reception
• Friday, 20 March – Tournament play (Day 1)
• Saturday, 21 March – Tournament play (Day 2) + Legends Dinner (evening)
• Sunday, 22 March – Tournament play (Day 3) & Closing
Accommodation
A range of hotels and guesthouses are available in Sea Point, Green Point, and Bantry Bay.
Twin-share and apartment-style options available.
Guests also welcome to book independently via Airbnb or Booking.com.
Legends Dinner:
• Saturday, 21 March 2026 – highlight social event with IC members, legends, and guests.
• Venue in Cape Town to be confirmed.
Excursion Highlights (Optional):
• Table Mountain & Lion’s Head – hikes or cable car.
• Cape Peninsula Tour – Chapman’s Peak, Cape Point, Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach.
• Cape Winelands (Stellenbosch & Franschhoek) – wine tasting & gourmet lunch.
• Robben Island & V&A Waterfront – history, shopping, and dining.
• Atlantic Seaboard Beaches – Clifton, Camps Bay, Sea Point Promenade.
Travel & Transfers
• Cape Town International Airport – 30–40 minutes to Sea Point hotels.
• Group transfers to be coordinated between airport, accommodation, and tennis venues.

IC South Africa Website: https://www.sa.ictennis.net/

INTERNATIONAL LAWN TENNIS CLUB OF INDIA
(Since 1951)
Surface: Grass Courts
Tentative Schedule:
Arrival of teams: 26th of November 2026.
Practice courts available on the 26th of November.
Cocktails and welcome dinner on the day of arrival.
Matches on 27th, 28th and the 29th of November.

ENTRY FEE:
● $ 350 per player/spouse/ partner/supporter.
● $ 1050 deposit to be paid by 31st January 2026 and the balance by 1st June, 2026.
➢ Lunch to be provided on the day of the matches (27th - 29th November).
➢ Cocktails and welcome dinner on the 26th of November.
➢ Gala dinner on the 29th of November.

Tourism:
a. Sound and light show in New Delhi OR a visit to Humayun's tomb.

b. 30th of November- A Day visit to Taj Mahal post the event (a 4-hour journey by road one way). Those who wish to stay overnight at Agra can so do at their own cost and IC India will help facilitate this.