Held at the MCG, the Victorian Tennis Awards honoured individuals and clubs who had made a significant contribution to the sport.  Keller was recognised for his role in promoting seniors tennis throughout the state.

The 71-year-old became equal world number one in the International Tennis Federation’s men’s over-70s singles rankings in March, and currently sits at number four in the world. 

The Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre member is coming off the back of a successful Australian summer which included a victory in at the Australian Championships in Shepparton in January, backed up by a win in the Oceania Regional Championships at Kooyong in March.

He will now look ahead to a string of high profile tournaments over the next month which will see him play all over Europe, starting in Germany before heading to Spain and France.

The veteran player said while he was still enjoying the game, his longevity would ultimately be governed by how his body held up.  

“I’ve had a hip replacement and some knee injuries,” Keller said.  

“A fair bit of work goes into monitoring it and making sure I keep my weight down.”