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Warkworth Tennis and Squash Club’s Brett Meyer achieved a rare “three-peat” on the South Island last month, winning the NZ Masters individuals in his age group, helping his provincial team to victory, and – the highlight – helping NZ take out the Trans-Tasman Masters Test Series for only the fifth time ever.
In the process Brett, who competed in the 60-64 age group, won every one of his games.
The Trans-Tasman series comprised three tests, held in Wanaka on October 9 and 10 before moving to Invercargill for the third test on October 11. Each country put up 14 players – seven men, seven women – one in each 5-year age group, ranging from 35-39 to 65-plus.
On day one, Brett beat Australia’s Peter Gilbee, and NZ won the test on a games countback after a 7-all draw. In the second test, Brett defeated Peter again, and NZ won 8-6, clinching the title and the Vic Beldham Shield. NZ has only won the competition on four previous occasions since it was first held in 1984.
The competition already decided, Australia then won the third test in Invercargill, on countback after a 7-all draw.
Brett says the second test was probably the toughest of all the games.
“Everything was riding on that. It was quite a brutal game. My Australian opponent knew how important it was and went in hard. But it was fun – you want it to be tough.”
The Trans-Tasman competition was followed by the NZ Masters individual and district teams champs, also in Invercargill, beginning on October 13.
In the individual event, Brett reached the final, where he again faced up against Peter Gilbee, beating him 3-0.
“We got to know each other reasonably well. As competitive as it was on the squash court there’s a lot of time to talk and share stories about life, between tests and afterwards.”
In the interprovincial teams champs, Brett played for the Auckland team, which again comprises one male and one female representative
in each five-year age group. Auckland won the grand final tie, 7-2, against Canterbury.
Brett says he was thrilled with the “three-peat” – winning all three matches in the test, winning the test series, winning all his games in the individuals event and taking the national title, winning all his games in the interprovincial champs, and being part of the winning provincial side.
A team mate had looked up the records and discovered that it was the first time that had been achieved by a New Zealand Masters player.
“It was particularly special to come away with that sort of success.”
Brett has been a member of the Warkworth Tennis and Squash Club for about five years, joining after moving to Matakana from Howick.
He’s just turned 60 so he has several years to play in his age group, although younger players will move up into the group next year, so there will always be new challenges.
“You’ve just got to keep moving, hope that physically everything holds together and you don’t pick up any injuries,” he says. Although playing ten matches in ten days was tiring, he describes the experience overall as an exhilarating one.
“Brett’s achievement in the Masters squash series is extremely special and unique in this case because it’s a first,” says Warkworth Tennis and Squash Club president Steve Wilson.
“On behalf of the club I would like to congratulate Brett and the team around him for his outstanding individual achievement. Achievements like this come from dedication to the sport he loves and will be an inspiration to others who want to represent their country.”
