Jess Paqualotto, James Mann and Ally Morona were proud winners of the wooden spoon for finishing last at the Wednesday mixed comp championship. Photo: Jamie Mitton.
Griffith tennis player Jamie Mitton says her focus has shifted to the 105th annual MIA Open after claiming her sixth consecutive mixed doubles title in Griffith’s Wednesday night round robin competition this week.
The communications professional was crowned champion alongside fellow ‘Strings Attached’ teammates Xavier Boucher, Darren Amery and Katrina Catanzariti, continuing a remarkable run of success for a side that has become the competition’s dominant force.
The team has evolved over the past five years but maintained an enviable record, consistently finishing first in both the spring and autumn competitions.
Mitton said this season’s final proved one of the toughest yet.
“It was the closest final we have ever had, our opponents ‘Shud’ played really well and we only won by three games,” she said.
“It’s been such a fun season – there’s sometimes more banter than backhands, particularly between Darren Amery and Connor Moore.”
Xavier Boucher, Darren Amery, Jamie Mitton and Katrina Catanzariti won the title. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
While the local title was cause for celebration, Mitton said attention had already turned to one of regional Australia’s most cherished sporting traditions – Griffith’s MIA Open.
Held over the June long weekend, the tournament attracts players from across NSW, Victoria and the ACT and is regarded as one of Australia’s longest-running continuous sporting events.
The 105-year-old tournament has been played every year since 1910 and has become as much a social gathering as a serious tennis competition, blending elite talent with family-friendly novelty events and grassroots participation.
Past editions have featured some of Australia’s best-known tennis names, including former world No.13 and Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, who competed in Griffith as a teenager in 2009 and 2010.
Despite dominating many regional tournaments in his youth, Kyrgios never managed to conquer Griffith, losing in the semi-finals in both appearances.
The MIA Open has also hosted former Australian star Sam Groth and regularly draws about 150 competitors ranging from beginners to high-level regional players.
Mitton will be among them this year, taking on an ambitious schedule.
“I’ll be playing in four different events at the MIA Open – B-grade singles, B-grade mixed doubles with Darren, A-grade mixed doubles with Xavier and the special parent-child event with my dad,” she said.
“You don’t really need to worry about winning, as the tournament is so much fun.
“It’s a great atmosphere and you get to meet people from all over Australia.”
Lachlan Date, Cheryl Rawle, Warwick Date and Phil Shanahan enjoy a mid-set McWilliams Tawny during the social centenary doubles at the 2025 MIA Open. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Beyond the traditional singles and doubles competitions, the MIA Open has become known for its novelty events, including the popular parent-child doubles and the centenary doubles, where partners’ combined ages must total at least 100.
The Wednesday night competition that helped sharpen Mitton’s game is organised by Matt Hockings and veteran administrator Robyn Meehan, who has also helped run the MIA Open for more than four decades.
Meehan said the tournament’s longevity reflected the dedication of generations of Griffith tennis volunteers and players.
“It’s such a wonderful tournament for Griffith, we want to keep it going for the next 105 years. We’ve even knocked the prices down this year to make it more affordable during tough economic times,” she said.
“It caters to all levels from beginners to advanced, but some events are filling up very quickly. We usually get fully booked beforehand. We’d encourage anyone interested in tennis to sign up and give it a try.”
Registration for the 2026 MIA Open, which takes place from Saturday 6 June to Monday 8 June, can be done online.
