Tennis NZ

Tennis was introduced to New Zealand in the 1870’s, soon after the modern form of the game was invented in England. The first New Zealand Tennis Championships were played at Farndon in Hawkes Bay in 1886. Maori participation in tennis began soon after, with many Maori playing at a high standard by the 1890’s. Sir Maui Pomare, the first Maori who qualified as a doctor, won the USA Inter-Varsity Tennis Championships in 1899 while he was studying there. This began a great legacy of Maori participation in tennis, with many players of high caliber emerging over the years, most recently professional players like Kelly Evernden, Rewa Hudson and Leanne Baker. But perhaps the doyenne of Maori tennis is Ruia Morrison, who played with great honour in international competitions, and at Wimbledon, in the early days of the professional era.