Local tennis star wins Maori tennis award

Jesse receives the Nga Purapura Trust award. L-R: Geoff Kaye-Ivitu , Leona Davis-Kaye, Ruia Morrison MBE, Jesse Galvin-Dawson, Marion Galvin, Dinny Mohi. Photo/Supplied

Rising tennis star Jesse Galvin-Dawson has been awarded the Nga Purapura Trust award for promising Maori tennis players.

Set up by Sir Tamati and Lady Tilly Reedy, the Nga Purapura Trust has supported 20 talented Maori tennis players and one tennis academy since its incepetion in 2008. The trust is the charitable arm of the Aotearoa Maori Tennis Association.

AMTA president Dick Garratt said Mr Galvin-Dawson, 22, received the award for overcoming significant obstacles as he worked to become Rotorua's best tennis player.

Last Tuesday Mr Galvin-Dawson was awarded with a Babolat racket and kit bag by two of Te Arawa's sporting heroes - Mrs Ruia Morrison, MBE, and Mr Dinny Mohi, assisted by Rotorua Tennis Club's Geoff and Leon Davis-Kaye.

Mr Galvin-Dawson is once again representing Rotorua in the Waikato-Bays interclub tennis competition this summer, and is a former softball pitcher.

At the 2015 Aotearoa Maori Tennis Championships, Mr Galvin-Dawson won the open men's doubles and mixed doubles titles, and reached the open men's singles final.

Mr Galvin-Dawson hoped to repeat his results at this year's 90th Aotearoa Maori Tennis Championships, held in late December.