by Steve Hufford
It’s a real privilege to represent your country in athletic competition, and a great pleasure to meet friends, both old and new, in vibrant cities around the world. If you agree, play court tennis at a good standard for your age, and will be at least 50 years old anytime in 2026, read on!
The World Masters Court Tennis Amateur Championships take place every two years, rotating between the UK, Australia, the US, and France. The Championships generally begin with team competitions (in which players represent their countries) and conclude with individual competitions. The World Masters will next take place in Australia in 2026, with team events running from March 28 to April 1 and individual events from April 3 to April 11.
The USCTA wants to field teams that are as competitive as possible, and we will certainly face strong opponents. In 2024, 26 players competed on US Masters teams (see picture). We are now recruiting for the following teams to play in Australia:
Cockram Team (age 50+), a team of at least seven – 3 singles players and 2 doubles teams, to be held at Hobart Real Tennis Club
Bostwick Team (age 60+), a team of at least eight – 2 singles players and 3 doubles teams, to be held at Ballarat Tennis Club
Danby Team (age 70+), a team of six – 3 doubles teams, to be held at Sydney Real Tennis Club
Munoz Team (age 80+), a team of four – 2 doubles teams, held at Sydney Real Tennis Club
To help field our best teams, here are some details of how we plan to form the 2026 U.S. World Masters teams:
Eligibility: All U.S. citizens who meet the age criteria and who are current members of the USCTA are eligible. To ensure players are active and handicaps current, players must also have at least three recorded matches anytime within the first half of 2025.
Selection Process: Player selection will be made by the team captain, based on expressions of interest, commitment to travel, tournament results, pro consultations, team synergies, and on handicaps recorded in RTO as of June 30, 2025. We hope to confirm our four team rosters by September 30, 2025.
Team Line-Up: The specific line-ups for the matches (i.e., who plays singles and who plays doubles, and in which position) will be determined by the captains in consultation with players and in accordance with the World Masters rules.
Other Topics: Participation in the World Masters’ Individual Tournament (scheduled April 3 to April 11, in Melbourne) is also strongly encouraged. There are draws for every 5-year age bracket, from ages 50 to 80, in both singles and doubles. To be eligible for these events you must have reached the stated minimum age by the end of 2026. If your handicap is below a specified level for your age, the rules guarantee your acceptance into the draw. If your handicap is higher, the host club may still accept you (depending on size of draw and number of entries.) In the past, Australian hosts have been exemplary in providing warm hospitality and attending to all relevant details both on- and off-court.
To express interest in being considered for a team, please reach out to one of the following captains or contacts:
Cockram Team – Jeremy Wintersteen (jrwintersteen22@aol.com, 617-291-7730)
Bostwick Team – Bill Barker (bbarker10@gmail.com, 202-203-0980)
Danby Team – Greg Van Schaack (gvs@academysecurities.com, 845-642-2673)
Munoz Team – Haven Pell (havenpell@mac.com, 202-360-0970)
For general information about the World Masters championships, please feel free to contact Steve Hufford, USCTA Seniors Committee Chair, at 703-244-6574 or racquetswinger@gmail.com.
The ARTA Website is the best source for detailed, definitive information about the 2026 World Masters in Australia.
