Belle Thompson has etched her name into the history of the Wangaratta Lawn Tennis, Croquet and Pickleball Club’s annual Australia Day Tournament as much as anyone, so when she says this weekend’s tournament is special, you know it’s true.

From Saturday, 24 January to Monday, 26 January, the courts down at Merriwa Park will be bustling with activity as the Dal Zotto Wines Australia Day Tournament takes centre stage, the 100th staging of the beloved event.

One of the tournament’s most successful campaigners, Thompson first came to the tournament as a six-year-old, before establishing herself in the women’s open singles division as an all-time legend of the event.

Only the great Michelle Hill has more singles titles than Thompson, but if she pulls it off this weekend, she’ll tie the record at nine.

However, the accolades aren’t what have kept Thompson coming back to the event which has been running for more than four times her lifespan.

“It’s one of, if not, my favourite tournaments of the year, and the 100 years just makes that little bit more prestigious to me,” she said.

“I know for me and the group I come up with, we actually have a few more of us than usual coming up because it’s such a momentous time.

“A few of them have been coming for 44 years now, and they haven’t missed one, it’s absolutely incredible.

“It’s like coming home for everyone, it’s just incredible to even think about.”

The centenary running of the event is sure to draw players from across the years back to Merriwa Park, and such is the standing of the tournament in the tennis community, it’s sure to have brought a tough field to battle it out on the court.

Thompson said she’s up to any challenge.

“I’ve been training a lot in the last month and a half, when I finished up my ITF tour at the end of November, getting ready for Wangaratta,” she said.

“There are a few wildcards in the draw this year that I was not expecting to see, so that’ll be interesting.

“It’s just drawn a bit of attention - people think ‘100 years, there must be something going on there that people enjoy and want to come back for’.

“I’m quietly confident, but you never know.

“People can come out with some incredible stuff, especially at Wangaratta – it’s the place to bring it.”

The Dal Zotto Wines Australia Day Tournament 2026 runs from Saturday, 24 January to Monday, 26 January at the lawn tennis courts at Merriwa Park.