Wangaratta Lawn Tennis, Croquet and Pickleball Club president Sam Allen said the 100th Australia Day tennis tournament was nothing short of a resounding success.

From Saturday 24 to Monday 26 January, the courts and surrounding spaces around Merriwa Park were packed as players came from near and far to celebrate the 100 years of the beloved Dal Zotto Wines Australia Day Tournament 2026.

Across the three days, more than 450 participants took to the pristine courts and although the mercury was soaring, the fun, enjoyment and sense of community both on the courts and off them was palpable.

“I think it went as well as possible, we still managed to do well out of it as a club, so we couldn’t be happier at this stage,” he said.

“We had a good turnout, we had a lot of our regulars there and we had 60 extra entries from last year, so people certainly turned out for it.

“It was as good as it could have been, given the heat on day two and day three.

“I think our planning around match times and having a little break in the afternoon worked well.

“We didn’t get too many complaints, I think people were pretty happy to sit out that hot period and come back in the evening and recommence matches.”

The club’s ‘Wear It White’ day on Sunday went down exceptionally well, with attendees donning white as a nod to the history of the event, when all-white clothing was mandated.

Also reflecting the history of the club was a display inside the clubrooms, featuring photos, articles and documents from across the tournament’s 100-year journey.

"There was a handful of people who spent a lot of time collecting some historic information and images and results, all sorts of things about our club over the 100 years,” Allen said.

“I feel we did a good job celebrating the 100 years of the tournament, and I think people appreciated the effort we went to.

“It was certainly on display for everyone to see and certainly saw a lot of people having some great conversations over in that area about the memories they had and shared with someone, or a match they won in a certain year.

“I think we really achieved what we wanted to achieve in that area.”

While the dust is still settling from the weekend’s event, plans are already in place to make the 2027 tournament bigger and better.

Allen confirmed plans to extend the tournament to a four-day spectacle, given the public holiday for Australia Day 2027 falls on a Tuesday.

“We’ll get together sometime over the next couple of weeks as a committee, just reassess, see what we thought [of the tournament],” Allen said.

“We’ve decided on a four-day tournament for next year, given the public holiday will be on the Tuesday, so we’re excited to see how we work out that.

“Dal Zotto’s have agreed to come back on board as our naming rights sponsor, that’s outstanding.

“We’re already off to a reasonable start, we think – we’ve just got 12 months to get organised and back into it again, but it’s good to have those little things ticked off.”

Allen and the Wangaratta Lawn Tennis, Croquet and Pickleball Club wished to thank all sponsors, in particular Dal Zotto Wines, Alfonso Building Solutions and the Rural City of Wangaratta, and every volunteer, attendee, participant and community member for their support.

“We really appreciate their support – without their support, we can’t put on the event we like to and the event we were able to over the weekend,” he said.