Blind and Low Vision Championships: Winners crowned, records broken

The fourth annual Australian Blind and Low Vision Tennis Championships wrapped up in Melbourne on Sunday, with South Australia claiming the Maurice Gleeson Cup as the top-performing state or territory across all singles events.


Tuesday 15 July 2025
Camille Russo
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
July 13: South Australia win the Maurice Gleeson Cup at the Australian Blind and Low Vision Championships at the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne at on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Photo by TENNIS AUSTRALIA/ HAMISH BLAIR

The fourth annual Australian Blind and Low Vision Tennis Championships wrapped up in Melbourne on Sunday, with 49 athletes competing from around the country and, for the first time, the Asia-Pacific region.

South Australia claimed their first Maurice Gleeson Cup, awarded to the top-performing state or territory across all singles events.

The cup, named in honour of Maurice Gleeson OAM, celebrates his contribution to blind tennis over many years, with players earning points based on final placings and team size.

This year's championships featured record participation in the B1 and B2 women's divisions, the largest junior and women's player fields, and for the first time, a gender split B1 singles draw at national level.

New South Wales' Grace Hobbs, the current world No.1 in B4 women's singles, defended her national title.

Meanwhile, Queensland's Oli Fanshawe, world No.2 in the B2 men's division, claimed the B2 Men's Singles title. He defeated the current world No.1 Ethan Cook from South Australia in a thrilling tie-break. Both players have had an impressive year consisting of multiple state, national and international campaigns.

Other standout results included:


    • Isaiah Muller (SA) taking out the B1 Open Singles title

    • Isabella Allen (Qld) and Tess Whelan (Vic) teaming up to win the B1 Open Doubles

    • Courtney Webeck (NSW) winning her 4th consecutive title in the B2 Women's Singles

    • Reuben Fairbank (SA) upsetting the current world number No.1 Michael Leigh (NSW) in a gritty come from behind win in the B3 Men's Singles

    • Ross Patterson (TAS) claiming the B4 Men's Singles, continuing his impressive undefeated record in the division

    • Bo Buakaho (SA) and Madison Kelly (Vic) emerging as junior stars to watch, each reaching multiple finals


    Two courts were live-streamed daily on Tennis Australia's YouTube channel and the Blind Sports Australia Facebook page with expert commentary and post-match interviews featured on finals day.

    RESULTS: Australian Blind and Low Vision Championships 2025

    EVENTCHAMPIONRUNNER-UP 
    Junior Boys SinglesEthan Cook (SA)Arato Katsuda-Green (NSW)
    Junior Girls SinglesMadison Kelly (Vic)Bo Buakaho (SA)
    Division 2 Junior SinglesKala Petronijevic (Vic)Nikhil Ojha (Vic)
    B1 Open SinglesIsaiah Muller (SA)Mikail Liakos (Vic)
    B2 Men's SinglesOliver Fanshawe (Qld)Ethan Cook (SA)
    B3 Men's SinglesReuben Fairbank (SA)Michael Leigh (NSW)
    B4 Men's SinglesRoss Patterson (TAS)Arato Katsuda-Green (NSW)
    B1 Women's SinglesIsabella Allen (Qld)Tess Whelan (Vic)
    B2 Women's SinglesCourtney Webeck (NSW)Candice Kennedy (SA)
    B3 Women's SinglesBo Buakaho (SA)Samantha Hall (NSW)
    B4 Women's SinglesGrace Hobbs (NSW)Madison Kelly (Vic)
    B1 Open DoublesIsabella Allen (Qld) / Tess Whelan (Vic)
    Mikail Liakos (Vic) / Olivia Chan (Vic)
    B2 Men's DoublesEthan Cook (SA) / Bradley Brider (SA)Ned Brewer-Maiga (Vic) / Lachlan Wallace (SA)
    B3-4 Men's DoublesMichael Leigh (NSW) / Ross Patterson (TAS)Arato Katsuda-Green (NSW) / Sean Russo (NSW)
    B2 Women's DoublesAmelia Hart (SA) / Courtney Webeck (NSW)Phoebe Finlay (Qld) /Karen Papanikolaou (NSW)
    B3-4 Women's DoublesGrace Hobbs (NSW) / Madison Kelly (Vic)Samantha Hall (NSW) / Bo Buakaho (SA)
    Junior Doubles (Invitational)Nikhil Ojha (Vic) /Bjorn Turner (Vic)Mikail Liakos (Vic) / Kala Petronijevic (Vic)