SPORT Tennis
The team played incredibly well, with only one notable loss to St Andrew’s College. Christ’s College had a successful outing at the annual Canterbury Secondary Schools Championships (12–13 February) at Trustpower Wilding Park in Christchurch. In the Year 11 division, rising College star Louis de Lautour achieved an impressive milestone by clinching a singles title for the third consecutive year. College’s top-seeded player, Lucas Evans, put up a fierce fight in the Year 12/13 open division singles final, finishing as runner-up after a jaw-clenching 6–4 3–6 8–10 match. However, Lucas and Franklin Barry redeemed the day with their dominant performance in the doubles final, crushing St Andrew’s College 6–2 6–0 to secure the title for the second consecutive year. Christ’s College Senior A1 went on to claim the South Island Secondary School Championships (24–25 February) title two years running at the same venue. The championship- winning team featured an elite cast: Lucas Evans, Franklin Barry, Jack Hansen-Ratter, Louis de Lautour, and Nicholas Rayner. The boys put on an impressive run of performances throughout the competition to defeat St Andrew’s College, 4–0, in the final. The South Island competition also featured a second College team in the same division. The College A2 squad – featuring Lester Lai, Tasman Daly, Yul Kwon, and Tiger Wang – was a commendable 4th. Lester, Tasman, and Yul also competed for the National Cup at the Renouf Tennis Centre in Wellington. Under the guidance of coach Hugo Nurse- Strang and manager Charlotte de Roles, the boys finished 6th. The 2024 National Secondary Schoolboys Championships (18–21 March) were held in Auckland at Merton Road Tennis Centre. Featuring the top players from across the country, the championships had two pools, with each comprising four schools. The schools competed in a round-robin
MiC: Josh Kim A Squad Manager: Josh Kim Managers: Charlotte de Roles, Monique Ellis-Martin, Josh Kim, Sarah Loughnan, Kate Morris, Ginny Patterson, Katie Southworth, Claire Sparks, Maude Turgeon-Leblanc, Ben Vink Coaches: Matt Meredith, Hugo Nurse-Strang The 2023/24 season has been exceptionally successful for Christ’s College tennis. This year, we have experienced an unprecedented level of interest in the sport, with more
than 100 boys participating across various levels of competition in our Wednesday interschool matches. Wednesday interschools have provided a platform for both seasoned competitors and training under the tutelage of the coaching staff at Te Kura Hagley, with players able to develop their game in a supportive, yet challenging, environment. Beyond the competitive sphere, the large swell of recreational players picking up the sport highlights the growing popularity of tennis. It is
particularly pleasing to witness boys developing new skills and enthusiasm for the game. The Senior A boys have showcased their talents and dedication on larger stages, securing victories in major tournaments across New Zealand, while our top players have achieved significant individual successes across multiple prestigious events overseas. Nicholas Rayner won the Lauriston Tournament (clay court) in Melbourne and the University of Queensland Junior Tournament in Brisbane this year and Jack Hansen-
Ratter represented New Zealand in the U16 Junior Davis Cup in Kazakhstan where his performance
Premier Grade competition this season. The Premier Grade proved extremely valuable as it provided consistent weekly competitive matches to keep the Senior A players sharp and match fit for regional and national competitions.
contributed to the team’s commendable 9th place.
College was able to enter two Senior A teams in the Canterbury Schools
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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