Australia's two top-ranked men, trouble-prone pair Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios, have both been excluded from the six-player list of finalists for the Newcombe Medal, Tennis Australia's annual award for it's "most outstanding elite tennis player and ambassador for the sport".
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Both Tomic, the world No.18 who has just finished a career-best season in which he was also suspended from Australia's Davis Cup quarter-final for verbally savaging TA officials and spent 10 hours in a Miami lock-up, and 30th-ranked Kyrgios, an Australian Open quarter-finalist who was embroiled in several major controversies and sanctioned by the ATP over the Stan Wawrinka sledging affair, were considered ineligible for disciplinary reasons.
Multiple former winner Sam Stosur heads a group of nominees that also includes the much-improved Sam Groth, emerging teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis, veteran Casey Dellacqua, doubles specialist John Peers and wheelchair star Dylan Alcott. The Newcombe Medal Australian Tennis Awards will be held at Crown on November 23.
"To be nominated for the Newcombe Medal really caps off what I feel was a real breakthrough year for me," said Groth, who cracked the top 60 for the first time. "I was really happy with the way 2015 went and although I stopped my season a little early due to injury, being nominated is a great way to close my best season yet."
Newcombe Medal:
Finalists: Dylan Alcott (Vic), Casey Dellacqua (WA), Sam Groth (Vic), Thanasi Kokkinakis (SA), John Peers (Vic), Sam Stosur (Qld)
President's Spirit of Tennis Award
Recipient selected by a panel appointed by Tennis Australia
Coaching Excellence – High Performance
Finalists: Mark Draper (Qld), Ben Mathias (Qld), Nicole Pratt (Qld)
Coaching Excellence – Club
Finalists: Matt Bull (Nedlands, WA), Jason Lindeman (Hawthorn, Vic), Adrian Muscillo (Kew, Vic)
Coaching Excellence – ANZ Tennis Hot Shots
Finalists: Jason Lindeman (East Hawthorn, Vic), Adrian Muscillo (Kew, Vic), Theresa Stapp (Cromer, NSW)
Coaching Excellence – Talent Development
Finalists: Graham Charlton (Traralgon, Vic), Ben Milner (Glenelg East, Vic), Janine Thompson (Lalor Park, NSW)
Junior Athlete of the Year – Female
Finalists: Kimberly Birrell (Hope Island, Qld), Jaimee Fourlis (Preston, Vic), Priscilla Hon (Rochedale, Qld)
Junior Athlete of the Year – Male
Finalists: Alex de Minaur (Rhodes, NSW), Blake Ellis (Bellbowrie, Qld), Omar Jasika (Clarinda, Vic)
Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability
Finalists: Dylan Alcott (East St Kilda, Vic), Glen Flindell (Yallambie, Vic), Adam Kellerman (St Ives, NSW)
Volunteer Achievement Award
Finalists: Lyn Duffy (Melton South, Vic), Julie Fidler (Bentleigh, Vic), Robin Lowe (Sale, Vic)
Tennis Senior of the Year
Finalists: Bob Howes (Highett, Vic), Wayne Pascoe (Beauty Point, NSW), Margaret Robinson (City Beach, WA)
Excellence in Officiating
Finalists: John Blom (Heathcote, NSW), Glen Toland (Engadine, NSW), Emma Walter (Swinger Hill, ACT)
Most Outstanding Club presented by Medibank
Finalists: Alexander Park Tennis Club (WA), City Community Tennis (NSW), Mt Eliza Tennis Club (Vic)
Most Outstanding Australian Ranking Tournament
Finalists: 91st Shepparton Easter Tournament (Vic), Bendigo Bank Winter Junior Tour & Australian Money Tournament (Vic), Rod Laver Queensland Junior State Championships (Qld)
Most Outstanding Professional Tournament
Finalists: 2014 Hutchinson Builders Toowoomba International (Qld), 2015 McDonald's Burnie International (Tas), 2015 Mildura Grand International (Vic)
Most Outstanding School
Finalists: Creaney Primary School (WA), Brisbane Boys' College (Qld), Prince Alfred College (SA)
