Catching up with... Bill Thom | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Former Canterbury tennis champion Bill Thom still loves getting the racket out and having a game against his old tennis buddies.

Thom, 65, was ranked in the top 10 in New Zealand during his early 20s, and won the Canterbury doubles title in 1972-73 with Gary Harris. Despite playing five decades of senior club tennis, he never won the Canterbury singles title.

However, that never bothered him, he said.

Last year Thom won the New Zealand veterans tennis title for the 65-70 age group in Christchurch, but will not be defending his title in Auckland this year. Thom said family and business commitments were a priority, but when the Australasian veterans championships come to Christchurch next year he would definitely be there.

Thom has been involved in the mirror and glass business all his working life, and for the past 20 years has owned Trendy Mirrors.

It is a family business, with his son Damien helping manage the firm while his wife Marie works in the office.

His other son, Anthony, has started up a windscreen business in the same factory.

Bill Thom's father was also involved in the glass and mirrors business.

Thom has many fond memories of his tennis battles over the years, and rates his victory over Jack Borough as one of his highlights.

"JJ was a great player and had a reputation for being able to outlast anybody," Thom said.

"I was just a young player and he was a big name player.

The game was played at Auckland's wind-funnel in Stanley St and lasted for three-and-a-quarter hours. I eventually wore him out."

Thom has been playing tennis for 60 years and said he still enjoyed getting out on the court for a game, before sitting down to a beer afterwards.

Away from the tennis court, Thom can often be seen out on Harewood Golf Course, where he plays off a 16.5 index, frequently with some of those he once played tennis with.

# The Christchurch Star runs a regular series of stories catching up with people were were in the limelight in sport and other fields in the past but now lead less public lives.