Historic Aotearoa Maori Tennis Championships returns to Whanganui after 93 years

The Aotearoa Māori Tennis Championships are back in Whanganui after 93 years, featuring Trish Biddle-Amoroa, Dick Garratt, Geoff Kaye and Paula Fore. Photo / Bevan Conley

An historic tennis tournament that hasn't taken place in Whanganui for close to a century returns this week.

The Aotearoa Māori Tennis Championships begins this weekend, with over 120 players from around the country participating in the three day tournament.

The tournament returns to Whanganui for the first time in 93 years, taking place from December 27 to 29 at the Whanganui Tennis Club and Whanganui Collegiate School.

President Dick Garratt and secretary/treasurer Geoff Kaye were in Whanganui in March earlier this year confirming all the arrangements.

Garratt said it has been a bit of a process organising the tournament, but everything is good to go.

"The main purpose for hosting the tournament in Whanganui was on the request for the development of their junior program for our rangatahi (young people) down there."

Garratt said Whanganui has a very strong history of tennis, including hosting the inaugural Marumaru Cup in 1907.

"There is a huge history of Māori tennis within the area."

There are grades for all players and ages, all the way from under 10s to over 75-year-olds.

New Zealand number one and Whanganui local Paige Hourigan will be competing in the tournament. Photo / Supplied

The tournament will also be graced with New Zealand tennis royalty, as Ruia Morrison will be present at the opening powhiri.

Morrison was the first New Zealand woman and the first Māori person to play at Wimbledon and reached the quarter-finals in 1957.

Whanganui's own and New Zealand's top seeded female Paige Hourigan will make a hometown appearance at the tournament.

Hourigan enters the tournament in strong form after defending her national singles title at the Wellington Open NZ Championships last weekend.

She will have her eyes on current title holder Kalais Going from Tauranga and former champion Lucy Barlow.

Cousin of Hourigan and former Whanganui number one Kyle Butters, along with his family, will also be taking part in the tournament.

Garratt said they will keep registrations open until the last minute so those interested in playing get the chance to do so.

"We find a lot of them struggle to register online. For the better or the worst, we do keep them open. We want the people to be involved."

All players interested in registering, visit http://amta.co.nz/wordpress/tournament/.