Tennis: Agnew Doubles now in its 27th year

What is described as "the most popular tennis tournament in Northland" kicks off this weekend in Kamo, paying further respect to a former great.

The Janet Agnew Carnival Doubles Tennis Tournament will see about 100 players descend upon Thomas Neale Memorial Park on Saturday and Sunday for the tournament's 27th instalment.

With the tournament drawing players from all over New Zealand, and on occasion overseas, it, in a way, confirms the respect the tennis community has for Agnew.

Agnew started the tournament in 1987 as the Northland Carnival Doubles, but the tournament took her name in 1989 in recognition of the tennis community's respect for her.

During the 1980s Agnew held the No 1 ranking in Northland, but in 1986 she sustained serious head injuries in an horrific car crash and was told she would never play tennis again.

Fortunately the doctor's original prognosis proved over pessimistic and Agnew has been back playing for a number of years, in particular with Northland Tennis Seniors.

In 2004, her Northland 45-and-over team won their age group in the New Zealand Tennis Seniors Easter Teams Event. In 2005, she was part of the New Zealand 45-and-over team which won the gold medal in the Australasian teams' event in Newcastle, and in 2006 she was in the winning team the same event in Christchurch.

For 20 years Agnew and her partner Graham Nesbit practically organised and ran the tournament on their own.

However, after being diagnosed with depression a few years ago Agnew struggled to cope with the workload.

This year, Raewyn Heywood and Shelley Yeates helped her out with obtaining the much-valued sponsorship.

Saturday's tennis sees the A and B grade mens' and ladies' doubles take the court, and on Sunday the A and B grade mixed doubles will be played.