James Toscan (right) teamed up with Michael Tyndall to win the B-grade final. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
An Aussie Rules star has shown another string to his bow by staging a miraculous comeback to win a title at the Griffith Club Tennis Championships 2025.
The annual event was held last weekend and contested by the best players in town.
Men’s doubles
The men’s B-grade division showed the extent to which the tournament has grown since 2022, when two Tamworth medical students were awarded the title because nobody else showed up.
This time, 32 players contested this division, which produced the match of the weekend, pitting celebrated Griffith Swans AFL player James Toscan against lifelong farming friend and rival James Keenan.
Toscan teamed up with electrician Michael Tyndall, a duo who looked dead and buried with Keenan’s partner Todd Howard serving for the match at 5-3. But some incredible scraps and choice sledging saw Tyndall and Toscan rise to take the final 7-5. The turning point came when Keenan hit the deck desperately trying to retrieve a shot over his head, a fall from which his team never recovered.
Men’s A-grade was far less competitive, with club coach Danny Dossetor and Lachlan Date coasting to the title, despite a strong showing by Argentine duo Tommy Arias and Rafael Franco.
Abby Molloy and Candace Prudham were doubles champs. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Women’s doubles
In women’s B-grade, Abby Molloy went one better than husband Keenan, showing herself to be the most improved member of the club to take out the title after partnering with marketing guru Candace Prudham.
“We narrowly missed the championship last year which made Abby and I more determined than ever; we practised many mornings, braving the elements, heat, cold, many magpies, all to get us here,” Prudham said.
“Some might even say we are the up-and-comers, the ones A Grade should watch. We’ve only got 12 months of partnership up our sleeve; imagine what we can achieve in years to come.”
In the A-grade event, junior champion Beth Tyson made further progress after making a comeback to the sport, teaming up with teacher Kat Pickering. The pair edged former B grade champions Jamie Mitton and Jasveen Kaur to take the title.
Danny Dossetor and Sophia Romeo were unbeaten. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Mixed doubles and singles
In the mixed doubles, Dossetor teamed up with club rising star Sophia Romeo to win the A-grade event, edging Lachlan Date and Kat Pickering in a tense final 7-5.
In the second division, club veteran Mark Gibbs teamed up with newcomer Meagan Peruzzi to take the title against some more fancied opposition.
The singles divisions, held on the Friday night, were washed out due to rain. Lachlan Date and Jamie Mitton looked in a strong position to take the men’s and ladies A-grade titles respectively, but may have to start from scratch, with the event to be rescheduled to later this month.
The overall player of the tournament award was handed to Stephen Amery, for his superb work both on and off the court. Amery braved A-grade doubles with dad Darren and also volunteered to cook the barbecue after slogging it out the previous weekend at a working bee to prepare the courts for the tournament.
