Australia, USA dominate 2025 Masters World Team Championships (60-70+)
Hosted in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the 2025 edition of the ITF Masters World Team Championships for players aged 60 and over through to 70 and over saw 92 teams from 31 nations compete for glory.
An array of stars from the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour represented their nations across three venues: the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis & Pickleball Center, The Country Club at Mirasol and BallenIsles Country Club.
With USA reaching five of the six finals, home hopes were high going into finals day. However, it was Australia who spoiled the American party, claiming three of the six cups: the women’s Kitty Godfree Cup (65+) and men’s Britannia Cup (65+) and Jack Crawford Cup (70+).
It was the first tie of the W65 final which proved crucial as Australia’s Michelle Hill defeated USA’s Susan Wright in a closely fought match decided in a third set tiebreak.
Combined with a dominant doubles performance by the Aussie pair of Ros Balodis and Leanne Swaysland, Australia defeated the defending champions to claim the Kitty Godfree Cup.
Perennial world champion Glenn Busby helped Australia defend their crown in the M65 event, defeating USA’s Bill Moss in a tight straight-sets match, before teaming up with Eddie Myers to claim the deciding doubles tie against Neil Levinson and John Valastro.
It was a similar story in the M70 final with the experienced doubles pair of Stephen Dance and Wayne Pascoe proving the difference for Australia against USA after the singles ties, won by Pascoe and Daniel Waldman respectively, were split.
Despite these disappointing losses, there was success for the host nation in the women’s Alice Marble Cup (60+) and Althea Gibson Cup (70+).
The formidable duo of Vicki Buholz and Jenny Klitch won both their singles matches against Italy in the final of the W60, helping USA to go one step further than in 2024. Carolyn Nichols and Tina Karwasky won both their singles matches, leading USA to a clean sweep victory against France in the W70.
France was the only nation to break up the Australia-USA duopoly, as they claimed the Von Cramm Cup (M60+) against Spain. Alain Moracchini and Franck Hervy proved too strong in the singles, easily winning both ties in straight sets. A notable mention is for Mexico who claimed a historic bronze medal in the M60.
Attention has now turned to the culmination of the ITF Masters World Individual Championships (60, 65, 70) when players will battle it out for individual glory across the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events in Florida.
You can view the draws and results from the World Individual Championships (60-70) by clicking here.