The IC of GB takes home the Gottfried von Cramm Trophy 2025

The Frankfurt Tennisclub 1914 Palmengarten was the venue at the end of August for the second Gottfried von Cramm Trophy, a team competition in which one women's singles, one men's singles and a mixed doubles are held in each match. While the two singles are played normally, the mixed doubles is a championship tiebreak. In each match between two teams, the winner can reach a maximum of 3 points. For example, if a team wins both singles but loses the championship tiebreak, 2 points go to the winner and 1 point to the loser.

In Frankfurt, five teams from six nations participated: Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland in conjunction with Canada. Due to the odd number of teams, the format required all teams to play everyone else.

After three rounds, the teams from Spain and Great Britain were in the lead. In the last game of the tournament (against Germany), the British took the points to pass Spain and win the trophy. Below is the final ranking and the individual players:

1. Great Britain (Emily Arbuthnott, Pedro Ocana)
2. Spain (Isabel Fernandez, Carlos Garcia Villanieva)
3. Germany (Natali Gumbrecht, Tim Richter)
4. Luxembourg (Tatiana Silbereisen)
5. Switzerland / Canada (Kasia Poplawski)

Mike Dunk Elected New Chairman of South Africa IC.

Mike hails from England where he played tennis for his county, Dorset, both as a junior and senior. He was also a Dorset athletic champion. He worked for Midland Bank in England before emigrating to South Africa in 1967 but immediately went to Rhodesia to work for a bank there before returning to South Africa in 1976.

He has served on both club and Provincial committees and represented Gauteng East at inter provincial tournaments. His real talent lies in broadcasting and he has covered all major tournaments in South Africa since 1980 together with a number of overseas Davis Cup ties in Sweden, Germany and Italy.

He worked at the French Open as well as Wimbledon and the ATP year end top 8 tournament.  He also presented sports programs on radio and television.

Although he retired from broadcasting some years back, with the advent of Live Streaming he was able to “come out of retirement” and has covered Davis Cup matches over the past four years.  He also started a tennis magazine program “Game, Set and Match” for streaming.

He is married to June, who is the secretary of the SA IC, and has two daughters both of whom are working in London.

At the AGM Mike paid tribute to the Leonie and thanked her for seven years of “dedication and commitment to the IC here in South Africa.” The establishment of the two development clinics in Vosloorus and Kenton on Sea “will be the landmark tribute to her tenure in office.”

Leonie will not be lost to the IC as she will remain on the South African committee and retains her place at the African representative on the IC Council.

Lorna Krog, who has been involved with veterans’ tennis and the IC for many years, was elected as Honorary President.  It is a befitting honour in view of her dedication to all aspects of tennis in South Africa over many years.