Tennis: Family tragedies background to youngster's climb to top

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

When Robin Statham thrust a tennis racket in the hands of her young twin boys, she did not realise the potential she was unleashing.

Tennis kept Rubin and Oliver amused as she cared for her dying husband. But it soon took on a bigger role for Rubin, who is now the New Zealand No 1 in the 14 and under age group and, at worst, Australasia's No 2 in that group.

"It was a way of penning them in, and keeping them occupied when someone was sick," Robin said.

While most children their age did not have a trouble in the world, seven-year-old Rubin and Oliver watched their father die of leukaemia, and then experienced the evils of cancer again two years later when their older brother Jonathan was diagnosed with bone cancer.

"Rubin's had a bizarre life. He doesn't trust anyone. He has lived with terminal cancer all his life,"Robin said. "It was a day-to-day existence for him, and he lost those close to him.

"He would get up at two, three, or four in the morning and help me to give Jonathan his morphine, take him to the toilet or to hospital, and then go to school."

The yellow socks and shirt Rubin wears on court represent his older brother, who was 24 when he died.

Born in Britain when the family were travelling, the warning signs that the boys had an attachment to the game were there from an early age.

"When we were in London, I would push the boys past the tennis courts in the pram and Oliver would scream.

"I thought he just had a serious case of nappy rash."

Rubin has competed regularly in Australian age-group competitions since he was nine, and the St Kentigern College third-former hopes to travel to Florida for the Orange Bowl at the end of the year, which will give him a feel of what he is really up against.

A $2000 scholarship from the Peter Snell Institute will help him on his way.

Scholarships and sponsorship are the main source of funding for Rubin and his coach, Gary Swinkles, from the Royal Oak Racket Club, who accompanies him abroad.

Other scholarships will help them to get to Melbourne for the Australian age-group claycourt championships in September and then to Florida. New Zealand Tennis cannot afford to pay for him.

With little financial support to nurture the needs of the demanding individual sport, New Zealand is in danger of losing more players to Australia.

As a 14-year-old, Aucklander Ivana Jovanovich was one of New Zealand's brightest hopes, but left for the Australian Institute of Sport where she is now a top 16-year-old.

"There are really two options," Swinkles said. "He could do it on his own in New Zealand, or he could go to Australia.

Oliver is also a member of the Royal Oak Racket Club and often provides Rubin with hitting practice on their court at their home.

Rubin, asked the best thing about tennis, replied: "Winning."

After so much loss in his life already, it's little wonder he hates to lose.

Recent recipients of the Peter Snell Institute of Sport scholarships:

Thomas Ashley (Westlake Boys' High School, boardsailing), Anna Eason (Mcleans College, boardsailing), Rebecca McEnaney (Rangitoto College, athletics), Erin Montgomery (Dargaville High School, athletics), Ricky Hair (Waiuku College, cycling), Jade Gilbertson (Epsom Girls' Grammar, cycling/triathlon), Peter Latham (St Pauls Collegiate, Hamilton, cycling), Cameron Hastings (Feilding Agricultural High School, wheelchair tennis), Alex McIntyre (Culverden Area High School, wheelchair racing), Tanja Markovic (Rangitoto College, tennis) and Melissa Ingram (Epsom Girls' Grammar, swimming).