Tennis legend honoured with very own annual tournament

Peter Cochran is honoured with a tournament named after him, The Moteko Cochran Doubles Championship.

December 9, 2018

Bruce Douglas 1 minute read

Peter Cochran is a man of legend in the local tennis fraternity.

For almost 40 years, Peter (71) has been as important to local tennis administration as a racquet and ball are to playing a match.

Come may next year, tennis players will honour his dedicated service.

Peter has been integral to tennis through the time of the Iscor Tennis Club, the Newcastle Tennis Club, and most recently the Pavilion Tennis Club. So much so that a major tennis tournament has been named after him.

The Moteko Cochran Doubles Championship will take place on May 18, 2019.

Peter also received an honourary membership of the Pavilion Tennis Club, following a year-end tournament in the last week of November.

He reflects on his journey with the sport:

“I started in 1979 or so when I was about 32. After our youngest son was born, my wife started playing so I joined her.”

Although Peter played tennis on a more casual basis, he joined his wife, Ina, in league competitions and found himself drawn more and more to the administrative side of the sport.

From 1981 onwards, Peter served as treasurer and later chairman of the Iscor Tennis Club.

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He then chaired the Newcastle Tennis Club after the two bodies merged and then led the Pavilion Tennis Club as chairman after those two clubs also combined, a position he has held until his retirement in 2017.

Peter admits tennis is a difficult game to play well, but says physical benefits kept him playing well into his golden years.