After tennis courts were built for MCC members at the MCG in the 1870s, the Tennis Section was formed in 1879, becoming a key player in the development of lawn tennis in Victoria.
MCC was the leading club and principal organiser of tennis in the colony and staged the first Australasian Championships (later called the Australian Open) at the Albert Ground in 1905.
The section fields several teams for men and women of all ages and abilities in the Tennis Victoria winter Pennant competition, Waverley & District Tennis Association and the Bayside Regional competition.
MCC teams also compete in Tennis Victoria’s summer Premier League and in the Asia Pacific Tennis League. In 2016 MCC was the Premier League women’s Champions.
Past and present MCC players have also represented both the club and Australia in several state, national and international competitions – including the Davis Cup. Among them are Sir Norman Brookes, Gerald Patterson, Frank Sedgman and Neale Fraser.
Venues
The main centre, until our recent merger with Glen Iris Valley Tennis Club, was situated at the rear of the Junction Oval, St Kilda off Lakeside Drive. Now the primary venue is situated at 260 High Street Road in Mt Waverley.
Our secondary base is at the corner of Roy Street and St. Kilda Road, Melbourne where we have two en-tout-cas courts.
View the complete MCC Tennis Section history.
Australian Davis Cup players to have played for MCC
Gerald Patterson Representative in 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925 & 1928
Non Playing Captain 1946
Harry Hopman Representative in 1928, 1930, 1932, 1938 & 1939
Non Playing Captain 1959-69
Colin Long Representative 1946-48
Frank Sedgman Representative 1949-52
Neale Fraser Representative 1955-63
Non Playing Captain 1970-92
Allan Stone Representative in 1970, 1976, 1978-79
Paul McNamee Representative 1980-86
Chris Guccione Representative 2005-09
Peter Luczak Representative 2005-08, 2010
Foreign Davis Cup players to have played for MCC
Chiro Mukerjea represented India in 9 Davis Cup ties from 1973-1977.
Taso Vasiliadis represented Greece in 20 Davis Cup ties from 1995-2002
Federation Cup players to have played for MCC (including St. Kilda)
St. Kilda – Judy Dalton (nee Tegart) Representative 1965-70
Non Playing Captain 1981-84
Christina Wheeler Representative 2004
Annabel Ellwood Representative 1997-98
Evie Dominikovic Representative 2001-2002, 2005
Australasian/Australian Mens Singles Championships Winners to be MCC members
1904* Rodney Heath
1911* Sir Norman Brookes
1914* Dr Arthur O’Hara Wood
1920* Pat O’Hara (brother of Dr Arthur O’Hara Wood)
1923* Pat O’Hara * denotes played at the Albert Ground.
1926 Jack Hawkes
1927 Gerald Laidlaw Patterson
1949 Frank Sedgman
1950 Frank Sedgman
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