Mexican stand-off is not for Paul – Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre manager Paul Kleverlaan re

By Paul Pickering
AS if running Pakenham’s new multi-million dollar tennis complex wasn’t enough, Paul Kleverlaan somehow found time to pop over to Mexico and win a world seniors title.
The Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre manager and teaching professional combined with Queenslander Chris O’Mara to win the men’s double 40s division at the Seniors World Individual Championships last month.
Kleverlaan and O’Mara – mates and regular playing partners over the past five years – were unseeded for the event, but took the title on the back of a giant-killing run.
“It was a real buzz,” Kleverlaan said.
“Playing against the world’s best, the standard is always tough, because you’ve got a lot of guys who are former ATP tour players – some of them ranked as high as 100.
“And along the way, we beat the number one, two and three seeds, so that’s pretty rare as well.”
They won the final – against American Morgan Shepherd and German Christopher Bloemeke – in straight sets, 6-4- 6-4. It was a case of third time lucky for Kleverlaan, who competed in the same tournament in South Africa in 2006 and in Spain last year, progressing to the second round on both occasions.
The doubles victory capped off a busy fortnight for the 40-year-old Cranbourne East resident, who made the quarter-finals of the singles and also represented Australia in the Seniors World Team Championships the previous week.
He is now back on court at the new Pakenham facility, while also continuing his teaching rounds at Casey Tennis Centre, Casey Fields, Pearcedale and Cranbourne tennis clubs.
Kleverlaan, who has been the president of the Tennis Seniors Association of Australia for the last 18 months, is organising a veterans’ round robin tournament at Pakenham later this year.
He says the new facility is set to be a huge boost for tennis in the district.
“It’s gradually gaining momentum as the word spreads, and in summer we’re really expecting it to take off,” he said.