This year we are celebrating 50 years at Queens Park Tennis Club for our longest serving member Chris Curtis.
Chris, 70 something, remains a very active member of the club, on court and off court. It’s a rare week when he’s not firing down those accurate, swingy serves, thrashing his forehands and cursing the rare unforced errors. Chris has won and lost more finals than he can remember, but he did give us these memories:
“I joined Queens Park in the summer of 1974 and have been a member ever since. How many years have I been taking part in Parks League and club champs? Well, I went to the USA one summer, I think there may have been a few years when I was a bit disillusioned, and there were the Covid years, but altogether I’ve been competing in the Parks League and club championships for around 40 years.
“In the club champs, I won the men’s doubles with Mike Haines. We famously beat Mike Jenner [7 time QPTC club singles champions] and his partner Bill Bennett, who was pretty ancient at the time, long gone now.
“Think I was in a men’s doubles final with Tim [Last Name Unknown] but we were thrashed [By Rhys & Eddie]. And I won the Mixed Doubles with Josie [Milligan], Spike’s wife. She and I got to the final the following year but lost to Mick O’Brien and partner in three sets. I have a feeling there may have been another final lost in the haze of memory!”
Chris has forgotten that he won the 2006 Autumn Men’s Doubles with R. Casaungo.
Terry Nevin remembers what QPTC was like in the 1970s: “I joined the club a few years after Chris and am sure he remembers the sand courts we used to play on. They suited his game so well, slipping, sliding and forgiving on the knees. They were the days of wooden racquets and white tennis balls. Before a match you needed to drag a net across the court to flatten out the surface. If very dry it was necessary to water the court . There was a hose on the court which was fed underground from the pond. So often it felt like playing on a lumpy sea. The lines were plastic tapes which were trip hazards when the surface wasn’t flat.”
Pauline writes: “Not only is Chris a superb doubles player (he, and Steve Hooper, made a formidable pair in the Parks League matches) but he has given so much of his time to the club, always happy to volunteer his time. He put up a wonderful display of wooden racquets in the clubhouse. A few years’ ago he shortened his own racquet in order to get in some crafty shots and is still using it – so watch out. Just this year, he put up the lovely bunting for Finals Day, and made the wooden coat hangers for the courts. Cheers Chris, you’re a star and we thank you for being such a supportive and active member of Queens Park Tennis Club.”
Here are some more words of appreciation from members over the years:
Mark Cull: “I’ve been playing against Chris most weeks for the past 10 years. I’m convinced he runs around the court as fast now after 50 years of tennis at QPTC, as he must have as teenage Chris. Congrats to 50 years at QPTC Chris, what a milestone.” – Mark Cull
Jose Milligan: “He was a joy to partner – steely, determined, with a great mind for the game, but always gentlemanly. I was grateful to partner him. Please pass on our congratulations to Chris! The club is one of the things we miss most about Brighton.”
Steve Hooper: “Chris and I played men’s doubles together for the best part of 10 years and had many memorable games. I remember one match very well (as it was the day Michael Owen scored that wonder goal against Argentina). We were playing at Hollingbury and found ourselves 5 nil down in the first set and won it 7-5 and then again in the second set 5-0 down to win it 7-5,7-5. Chris is a top man and it has been an honour to know and play tennis with him over the last 37 years and I am proud to call him a friend as well as a fellow member of Queens.”
Terry Nevin: “For the Winter singles league 2024-2-25 Chris described his standard as ‘crafty old fox with some skills’. I think that quite sums him up.”
Conrad Brunner: “Chris Curtis is the Father Of The House, our most senior member, and a great example to all members old and new. He’s a tough competitor who takes every match seriously, but his sense of humour means he never forgets that it’s all for fun. I would also add that he remains a ridiculously good tennis player.”
:
