World Masters O60s - Bostwick Cup 2026

The newly refurbished court at Ballarat was primed and ready for our arrival thanks to the hard work of Chris Ronaldson, Maggie Henderson-Tew and event organiser John McClure, complete with new head pro Scott Blaber arriving just days before to take up his post with his enthusiastic family team of Kerry, Darcie and Eadie.

The match format has 3 doubles and 2 singles matches involving 8 players.

France were unable to field a full team so Bertrand Saint-Martin captained a Rest of the World team instead. Unfortunately USA had some late withdrawals leaving them with just 4 in their squad. This allowed for competitive rubbers in the two singles and first doubles but social matches were played in the 2nd and 3rd doubles.

Australia had a strong home team including new ‘signing’ Peter Meares after many years away from competitive Real Tennis.

GB arrived with a strong group of 10 players which allowed for ‘squad rotation’.

• Match 1: USA beat ROW 3-2

• Match 2: GB beat USA 4-1

• Match 3: Australia beat ROW 5-0

• Match 4: Australia beat USA 5-0

• Match 5: GB beat ROW 5-0

• Match 6: GB beat Australia 4-1

In the last match of the top 2 seeds Australia packed the doubles but GB had too much strength in depth –

• 1st singles: Simon Shenkman beat Graeme Bradfield 6/0, 6/1

• 2nd singles: Simon Barker beat Rudi Michelson 6/2, 6/0

• 1st doubles: Steve Calder Smith & Ed Popplewell lost Michael Happell & Richard Allen 2/6, 1-6

• 2nd doubles: Charles Human & Richard Compton-Burnett beat Peter Meares & Bruce Harris 6/1, 6/3

• 3rd doubles: Alan Giddins & Geoffrey Russell beat Matty Hayward & Jonathan Buckley 1/6, 6/4, 6/4

Full squads

USA - Bill Barker (Captain), Steve Hufford, Peter Hill, Doug Sheperdigian

Rest of the World - Bertrand Saint-Martin (Captain), John Hearst,  R (Fred) Kininmonth, Vince Scopellitti, Paul Williams, Jim Ilgoutz, Greg Henderson, David Hay

Australia - Matt Hayward (Captain), Michael Happell, Richard Allen, Peter Meares, Graeme Bradfield, Rudi Michelson, Bruce Harris, Jonathan Buckley, Chris Nobes

Great Britain - Simon Baker (Captain), Stephen Calder-Smith, Richard Compton-Burnett, Alan Giddins, Charles Human, Richard MacAlister, Paul Norris, Ed Popplewell, Geoffrey Russell, Simon Shenkman.