London-based Aussie tennis legend Pat Cash was a surprise visitor to Maroochydore this week, dropping by to check out the latest waterfront development by friend and fellow tour champion Mark Kratzmann.
The Kratzmann Group recently commenced construction of The Ivy Picnic Point, a luxury 37-unit complex on the banks of the Maroochy River.
Pat Cash, who regularly holidays at Noosa while in the country commentating on the Australian summer of tennis, said he was keen to see what was happening on the central Sunshine Coast, given recent infrastructure projects such as the new hospital, Maroochydore CBD, and Mooloolaba Wharf and Ocean St upgrades.
“I thought Maroochydore was a sleepy little coastal town, so I was quite impressed by the quality of waterside properties close to great beaches, good dining and coffee shops,” Pat said.
Although his real estate portfolio is centred in London, the former Wimbledon champion said it was worth exploring investment opportunities on the Sunshine Coast, given that major capitals such as Sydney and Melbourne had come off their highs.
“There can’t be a better place to have a holiday or a capital investment property than the Sunshine Coast, and it’s much easier to get into the central Coast waterfront market than the overcrowded Noosa market,” he said.
As well as checking the progress of The Ivy Picnic Point build, the tennis buddies made time to visit some local hotspots and reminisce about their long career in the sport.
They both agreed that representing Australia in the Davis Cup from 1984-1991 was a career highlight, with Pat playing singles and Mark pairing with Darren Cahill in the doubles.
“One of the most memorable Davis Cups was the 1990 semi-finals in Sydney,” Pat said.
“I won the two singles rubbers then Kratzmann and Cahill beat Argentina in an epic five-setter than went for five hours, and to 15-13 in the final set, to secure a finals berth against the US.”
With Pat once ranked No.4 in the world for singles and No.6 for doubles, and Mark achieving 18 doubles titles, the pair combined extremely well on the rare occasions they did play together, winning the NSW Open Doubles in 1990.
“Mark was not only a super talented Davis Cup player, but a great team man and one of the nice guys of the tour.
“You could count on Mark to always bring his best on and off the court, and this attitude has obviously translated to his life after tennis, with delivering property on the Sunshine Coast and his charity work,” Pat said.
For every apartment sold at the Ivy at Picnic Point, The Kratzmann Group is building one house in India, in partnership with not-for-profit organisations Habitat for Humanity and B1G1.
To date, 27 of the 37 units The Ivy Picnic Point have been sold, with completion expected in late 2019. To find out more visit www.theivypicnicpoint.com.au
