Page 13: Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club ‘missing’ millions in revenue

Kooyong tennis club members are spluttering over their G&Ts after millions of dollars of revenue reportedly went missing — but the president has returned a serve to the claims.

Members are spluttering over their G&T’s at the elite Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, with crooked fingers pointing back to the kitchen where we aren’t talking canapes.

It’s been dubbed the racquet racket.

Some members say as much as $2.5 million in revenue has been lost.

But while some members hint at “misappropriation” this has been hit firmly out of court by club president Adam Cossar.

He says the club incurred an “accounting loss” for the year and the club board has approved an external review “to ensure future profitability.”

Whether that gets over the net remains to be seen.

Kooyong was home to the Australian Open from 1972 to 1987 and has a list of wealthy members from Melbourne’s elite.

Club members are wondering where Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club’s reported missing millions went. Picture: Rob Prezioso.

The club has hosted tennis greats from Roger Federer to John Newcombe and Lleyton Hewitt and has been the venue for showbiz megastars such as Elton John and the Rolling Stones.

Chatter is two high-profile employees have already left the famous club, but while the prez says the head chef has resigned, that’s the only one.

The eye-watering losses are believed to be from the club’s food and beverage accounts.

A $2.5 million loss isn’t just tea and biscuit money. No wonder it was a packed crowd at the annual general meeting on Wednesday.

Noses were out of joint when the usual drinks and nibbles afterwards were cancelled. One excuse served up was, “It all must have all been stolen.”

Ouch!

They may need to get former Federal Treasurer and beloved former tennis champ and member Josh Frydenberg on the case.

Because that’s a lot of chicken sandwiches.