The IC of South Africa host the Nations Cup and Legends Awards Dinner

The IC of South Africa hosted the Nations Cup and Legend Awards Dinner from 18-23 March 2026.

Nations Cup – Three Days of International Tennis

The Nations Cup was contested over three days of highly competitive and engaging tennis hosted at Kelvin Grove Tennis Club. The event brought together international teams in a format that balanced competitive intensity with the core IC values of sportsmanship, camaraderie, and friendship. In addition, guests were given a free day to arrange their own excursions.

Day 1 – Arrival and Welcome

The opening function set the tone for the tournament, with players having arrived from various parts of the globe. The Welcome Dinner was held at Kelvin Grove, providing an opportunity for players and officials to connect in a relaxed environment, renewing old and making new friendships, reinforcing the values that underpin IC events.

Day 2 – Opening Matches

Teams began engaging in well-contested matches. The standard of play was consistently high, with several closely fought encounters that highlighted both the depth of talent and the competitive pride of each nation. At the end of the day, the Nations tie was won by South Africa who edged out GB. Two other mixed regional teams completed the group.

Day 3 – Day at Leisure

This was a free day with guests able to plan their own excursions.

A highlight of the day was the evening cruise, which provided a unique and memorable setting for social interaction. Against the backdrop of Cape Town’s coastline, participants were able to unwind, connect, and celebrate the shared experience of international tennis. The cruise was widely regarded as a standout feature of the event. The return to the harbour and its twinkling lights with dancing on deck to the strains of Johnny Clegg and other African tunes, was a lovely ending to the event (the outward leg in choppy seas notwithstanding!!). 

Day 4 – The programme continues

The second day of competition featured a full schedule of matches across all participating teams. The level of competition intensified, with decisive results beginning to shape the standings. Off the court, the atmosphere remained vibrant and inclusive, with players supporting one another and sharing in the experience beyond the matches themselves.

Day 5 – Final Matches and Closing Ceremony

The final day of the Nations Cup brought the tournament to an exciting conclusion, as the remaining round robin matches were played. With everything still to play for, the level of tennis remained high throughout the morning. Close matches, competitive rallies, and strong team performances defined the final rounds, with results ultimately decided by fine margins.

The closing prizegiving marked a fitting conclusion to the Nations Cup. IC South Africa had the honour of awarding honorary membership to Louise Field (New Zealand), Peter Harding and Karen Cass (GB) and Pam Rosenbaum (Canada). In addition, Duard Botha was awarded honorary membership of IC Great Britain, reflecting the strong international ties fostered during the event. The formalities were followed by a relaxed pizza farewell, allowing participants to conclude the tournament in a warm and informal setting.

Legends Dinner – A Celebration of Excellence

The Legends Dinner, held at Grand Africa Café & Beach, was undoubtedly one of the defining highlights of the week. Set under the evening sky, with the ocean as a backdrop to dancing on the sand, the event created a unique and memorable atmosphere befitting the occasion. Dinner on the Deck was served buffet style and proved to be a sumptuous affair. From oysters to salmon and fillet accompanied by vegetables and salads, it was an outstanding experience.

The evening celebrated the rich legacy of South African tennis, with:

• 13 new Legends inducted
• 6 Lifetime Achievement Awards presented
• 6 Masters World Champions recognised.

Each recognition was a testament to the enduring impact of individuals who have shaped the sport at national and international levels.

The IC of South Africa were particularly privileged to host Brigitte Cuypers-Fourie and JL de Jager, both crowned Legends in 2023. Their presence added further prestige to the evening and served as a powerful reminder of the excellence and tradition that define South African tennis.

The event successfully combined formality with celebration, creating an environment that honoured past achievements while inspiring future generations. The feedback received from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with many noting the setting and organisation as truly world-class.

Further Details

• Venue
  The historic Kelvin Grove Country Club proved to be the ideal venue for the Nations Cup Tournament hosted by the International Club of South Africa (IC SA) in March 2026. The Club’s beautiful grounds feature the grand old historical clubhouse, 2 restaurants, bar, coffee shop and swimming pool. 
• Teams
  Originally meant to be a gathering of 4 Nations, it soon transpired that clubs were having difficulty fielding full teams and the event became an open competition. Representatives from the US, Canada, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa found themselves playing for the Ellies, the Pumbas, the Daisies and others. In total, some 40 players had the opportunity to participate in the competition.

Format

• Day 1: 4 teams of 8 competing as  countries or regions. Won by SA with GB second.
• Days 2 and 3: 8 teams of 4. Ladies, Men’s and Mixed Doubles.

Entertainment/Functions

• Welcome function and dinner
• Sunset cruise
• The Legends Dinner and Awards
• The prize-giving and pizza evening.

Load last 16 media item(s)Loading...

Amended IC Week 2019 competition rules

IC Week 2019: Amended Rules on Trial at Le Touquet

The EC and the IC Week Organising Committee have been looking at the IC Week Rules and decided to trial some changes for the IC Week at Le Touquet. The changes will apply only to this event, and not to other Council events. The only changes of significance which we would like to draw to your attention are these:

1) The number of players in the Mercelis Trophy for women will be increased to a maximum of four and in the Windmill Trophy for men to a maximum of six, not including a non-playing Captain for both trophies. The idea is that this will allows players to rest, and for injury to be accommodated in the first instance without resorting to the Rule on Last Minute Replacements.

The key extracts from Rule 7 being trialled read as follows (and this wording is then adopted consistently throughout the rest of the Rules for the Le Touquet IC Week)

7. COMPOSITION OF TEAMS:

a. Each team for the Windmill Trophy shall consist of four men playing IC members, two in each of two categories: Open and Senior, the latter must have reached the age of 45 during the calendar year of the competition. Each team may, however, bring a maximum of three players in each category, making a maximum total of six playing members in a team.

Teams may have an additional non-playing Captain. If the Captain is a playing member of the team, however, the maximum number in the team shall be six.

[Amended rule on trial and in effect only at the IC Week in Le Touquet in 2019.]

b. Each team for the Mercelis Trophy shall consist of two women playing IC members, one in each of two categories, Open and Senior, the latter must have reached the age of 40 during the calendar year of the competition. Each team may, however, bring a maximum of two players in each age category making a maximum of four playing members in a team.

Teams may have an additional non-playing Captain. If the Captain is a playing member of the team, however, the maximum number in the team shall be four.

[Amended rule on trial and in effect only at the IC Week in Le Touquet in 2019.]

Please note that the IC of France has confirmed that there will be no financial implications with respect to the entry fee for IC Week 2019 in terms of the increase in the number of players under these Rules.

2) There is also a new Rule that is being trialled at Le Touquet concerning the shortening of matches in the event of bad weather or a forecast of bad weather. The relevant extract from Rule 11 being trialled reads as follows:

11. THE SCORING SYSTEM:

In the event of a bad weather forecast, lack of courts, or other time limiting factors, the Organizing Committee may shorten matches to the best of three short sets with a normal tie-break at 4-all.

[Amended rule on trial and in effect only at the IC Week in Le Touquet in 2019.]

A decision to adopt the bad weather format must be advised before the beginning of the Competition if the rule applies to the full Competition, or before the beginning of each day of the Competition, and must be communicated to each Captain at the time he nominates his team for the day.

3) Lastly we would like to remind you of Rule 6d on Eligibility and age in the Open Category which was on trial at the Berlin IC Week in 2017 and which has now been formally adopted following positive feedback at and after the event:

6. ELIGIBILITY:

d. In the Open Category only, players who are between the ages of 18 years and 28 years of age, in order to qualify for selection for an IC Week Team, must have been a member of their respective IC Club for two years prior to the event (players may be in the second year of membership at the time of the event), and they must have played two matches for their IC Club. Participation in the IC Junior Challenge (in a regional event or in the finals) will qualify as one match contributing towards this eligibility.

[New rule adopted after trialling at the IC Week in Berlin in 2017.]

The drafting work on the IC Week Rules can be seen here on the IC Council website. A final version of these provisional Rules will be posted shortly after the EC Meeting at Roland-Garros in late May.