
By Marc McGowan
FOUR Casey Tennis Centre members will represent Australia at next month’s Senior World Tennis Championships on clay in Spain.
Paul Kleverlaan, 38, Wanda Clothier, 48, Bruce Osborne, 53, and Andrew Rae, 57, are among eight Victorians in the 24-strong national squad for the event.
They earned their spots on their performances over the past 12 months, including this year’s Australian Tennis Senior Championships in Adelaide.
Kleverlaan, Rae and Osborne competed in the same Grade Two pennant side last season.
The teams’ event runs from 27 April to 2 May before the individual championships are held between 3 and 10 May.
Mt Eliza-based Rae is the number-one senior male player in the world and the reigning world champion in the men’s 55-plus age group.
Osborne, a former senior doubles world champion, will play in the men’s 50-plus category, while Hampton Park’s Clothier will face the world’s best female 45-plus players.
Kleverlaan, who is aiming to break back into the top 10, is preparing for his second senior world championship appearance after playing for his country in South Africa in 2006.
“I’m obviously ecstatic and it’s a nice place to be going,” the Cranbourne East resident said.
“I’ve missed selection in the last two after I went to South Africa. It was a fantastic experience. The standard is extremely good.”
Kleverlaan lost in the second round of the singles and doubles in the 2006 Senior World Tennis Championships.
He is hoping to improve on that effort, but just enjoys the opportunity to travel and play the sport at a high standard.
“We’re playing a highly competitive game and I’ve been able to travel all over Australia and I’ve played in New Zealand and South Africa and now I’ll add Spain to that,” Kleverlaan said.
“It’s pretty exciting and it’s great meeting new people.”
Tennis Australia, Tennis Seniors Australia and Tennis Seniors Victoria officials partly subsidise the trip, but there are still significant costs involved for the players.
If anyone is interested in sponsoring the four Casey Tennis Centre members, Kleverlaan can be contacted on 0417 741 166.