The IC of Argentina qualify for the IC Rod Laver Junior Challenge World Finals 2027

The South American qualifying event for the 2026 IC Rod Laver Junior Challenge took place on 13-16 July 2026 and brought together teams from the ICs of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay at the Carrasco Lawn Tennis Club in Montevideo. Hosted by the IC of Uruguay, the event combined high-quality junior tennis with the International Clubs' enduring values of friendship, sportsmanship and international fellowship.

Despite weather forcing a revised schedule, the competition was completed successfully over three days. The IC of Argentina produced consistently outstanding tennis throughout the tournament, defeating the IC of Uruguay (1) by 5–1 in a closely contested final to secure qualification for the IC Rod Laver Junior Challenge World Finals. The IC of Bolivia in particular made an impressive debut in the competition after the creation of the IC in 2025, finishing in third place ahead of the ICs of Chile, Brazil and Uruguay (2).

Off the court, the event reflected the IC spirit through a welcome reception, social activities and a community tennis clinic with children from the IC of Uruguay's "Growing up with Tennis" programme, where players shared their skills and experiences with young participants.

The Sportsmanship Awards, voted for by the team captains, recognised Maria E. Moretti (Brazil) and Andree Montellano (Bolivia) for their exemplary sportsmanship. The tournament concluded with a light-hearted captains' doubles match, providing a fitting celebration of the friendships forged throughout the week.

You can view the full tournament report, photos and video below.

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Tribute to Christiane Mercelis, 1931-2024

There is a good reason why the trophy of the Women’s Event in our IC Weeks was named in 1997 after Christiane Mercelis who died in June of this year.  

The very elegant but modest Christiane was the incarnation of the spirit of the International Club. As a player and a person her conduct on and off court was impeccable.  Fair-play was in her nature.

Christiane was probably in the top 15 or 20 in the world. She won the Junior event at Wimbledon in 1949 having never played on grass before and after half an hour’s practice before her first round.  She went on to win the indoor championships in France, Germany and the then Soviet Union (in Moscow).  She also won in Rome on clay in 1960.  She won countless Belgian singles, doubles and mixed national titles.

She was always popular with juniors, she listened and helped.  Perhaps because she herself could remember the days in which she’d waited patiently to get on courts at her local club while adults and then older children had priority. 

Her elegance on and off court belied a sense of humour.  She admitted that sometimes she needed half a glass of good Belgian beer to calm nerves (which she never seemed to show) before a match. She once half-joked that the allowance she’d been given to cover expenses the first time she’d played at Roland-Garros were fine – provided one didn’t get past the first round! She got through her first round; and she reached the quarter-finals there in 1957. Eventually she gave up tennis when her doctor suggested that at her age (she was in her 80s) she might now have to let a few balls go past her.

She was President of the IC of Belgium from 2002 to 2010.