T e n n i s ^ T r e k k i n g

My favourite place trekking in Nepal above Namche Bazaar looking at Mount Everest and Mount Ama Dablam . . .

About the tennis trekker . . .

The tennis trekker ( aka Doug Grant ) started tennis in the seventies after being invited to the Australian Open by his cousin Margaret who was an umpire. Margaret umpired the final between Evonne Goolagong and Margaret Court that year and Doug was hooked on tennis. The following year Doug was an umpire at the Australian Open too.

Doug went to a tennis camp run by former Wimbledon champion Frank Sedgman and worked the video replay camera. Doug also worked at Frank's tennis camps on the Gold Coast and for Australia Tennis magazine as a photographer.

Doug umpiring an Australian Open match of Tony Roche

Doug at Sedgies camp, Mornington 1973

Following this, Doug helped out with the Davis Cup semi-final team against Czechoslovakia of Fraser, Laver, Newcombe, Rosewall and Anderson as team gofer. Doug was stringing racquets not long after he started hitting. He started a company called Victorian Racquet Stringing Co. which strung racquets for major sports stores and racquet companies such as Prince, Wilson, Yonex, Spalding and Donnay. Doug then followed up with a retail outlet called Racquets Plus which for many years looked after players racquets during the Australian Open.


Trade stringing for racquet companies	Cleaning out string holes	Joanie stenciling trade racquets

Melbournes racquet and stringing specialists get together

On the Yarra river next to the Australian Open Melbourne Park

Doug was also state coach of Half Court tennis, doing exhibitions at trade shows, show grounds and the city square on a portable court.

Centre court at Wimbledon

At Roland Garros, Paris

During the eighties, Doug travelled to every Grand Slam venue, past and present. Doug coached in England, France and America.

Foro Italico, Rome

Catching up with sister Jules between tournaments

Returning to Australia, Doug was coaching up to sixty hours a week himself and head coach at eight tennis & racquet clubs as well as private tennis courts and running a retail outlet called Racquets Plus.

With Joanie in our second specialist racquet shop

Our giant racquet at Racquets Plus

The racquet was used by Pat Cash on television

And also our print adverts for Racquets Plus

Driving on centre court at Memorial Drive South Australia

Playing in the Victorian Hardcourt Championships

Doug has been involved in teaching lawn tennis, real tennis, half court tennis and squash.

I was pretty busy coaching at my first tennis club

With Larry Lobster Ball Machine, Maddy & Emma

While Doug was coaching on synthetic grass, he noticed problems developing with the new surface and started developing machines and methods to counter this starting a company called Courtcare.

Filtering synthetic grass

Removing excess sand

Doug is also heavily involved in the original game of tennis commonly known as royal or real tennis.
A club director and on the Australian Council for eleven years, Doug looks after the Australian real tennis website. Doug introduced to the game and advises world number two and world doubles champion
Steve Virgona. Doug also coached Steve to U14 Australian number two in lawn tennis.

Doug & Steve Australian Open Pro Am Final 2004

Doug & Steve Australian Open Pro Am Final 2005

Steve wins the Australian Open with Marg, Doug & Josephine

Steve gives his victory speech while Rob Fahey watches on

Doug currently runs a tennis services company called Courtcare which services hundreds of privately owned and club tennis courts. Doug looks after their coaching, restrings, court equipment and the condition of the court.

Doug also runs a business called: T e n n i s ^ T r e k k i n g

Tennis ^ Trekking is for people who want to travel the world to remote, romantic or unusual places while improving their tennis at the same time. So get out your bucket list and improve your tennis too!!!!

Doug takes tennis groups to places in metro Melbourne, country Victoria, interstate in Australia or international venues such as Nepal for tennis coaching and trekking.

The Nepal trips include tennis coaching in Kathmandu or Pokhara, trekking in the Himalayas and a mountain flight to Mount Everest.