Jason's back on Kubler Court
Grand Slam champion Jason Kubler will return on Monday to the tennis court in Mango Hill where his career began.
Kubler, who won the Australian Open Men’s Doubles title in 2023, will be back at Danzy Buchanan Park, off Kinsellas Rd West, for a special ceremony.
It is to be officially named the Kubler Tennis Court in honour of the former North Lakes State College student and his family, which has been so closely connected to the venue.
“We had the idea a year ago. The Kubler name really cannot be separated from the court,” Mango Hill Progress Association (MHPA) President Laurence Christie said.
John Kubler, Jason’s father, managed the court from 1996 to 2002. When he sadly passed away wife Lyn ran the bookings for 20 years.
During that time Jason, older brother Jonathan and younger sister Jade all played on the court when they lived in Mango Hill Village.
To recognise the Kubler family, MHPA, which built the court in 1990, applied for and received approval to rename it.
“We are so honoured and very happy to have the court named after our family,” Lyn Kubler, former treasurer and now life member of MHPA, said.
“It has been part of our lives for close to 30 years and we are very grateful to everyone who has helped arranged this.”
Monday’s naming ceremony will start with a playing and coaching session for children from 2-3pm.
Jason will then face his brother Jon, who coaches at Redcliffe, in an exhibition game from 3pm, with the official naming ceremony at 3.30pm.
MHPA has a bonus skate night – held regularly throughout the year and hugely popular with children - from 4.30-6.30pm. All are welcome to attend.
The court was built with grants and funding from all three levels of government at a time when North Lakes did not exist and Mango Hill was ‘out in the sticks’.
It is now used daily by social tennis groups and with floodlights has many evening bookings.
All celebrated Jason Kulber’s victory at the Australian Open last year when he lifted the men’s singles trophy with Rinky Hijikata in Melbourne.
At 16 Jason became only the second player, after Rafael Nadal, to go through the World Youth Cup and Junior Davis Cup unbeaten.
He played his first Australian Open singles match at 18 and in 2022 reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Kubler has been world ranked 79 in the men’s singles and 33 in the men’s doubles.