Real estate pundits in the know went quiet when contacted on the topic ...

Who is tennis-mad Sir Elton John courting for his stay in Auckland next year?

Ellton is travelling with his husband David Furnish and their two sons for his nearly four-month stint Downunder. The question is, when he is in New Zealand for two weeks from February 4 will he put the family up in a flash Auckland home with a tennis court?

Last week, as Elton was due to arrive in Perth for the first of his Australian leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, the

reported that his minders were already in Sydney scouting for a fabulous home with a huge tennis court.

The speculative short-list included a colonial mansion in Woollahra, where Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness previously stayed. But given that palatial property lacked a tennis court, its prospects as

Herald SMH’s Sydney Morning

Elton’s pick was not looking so favourable.

Real estate pundits in the know went uncharacteristically quiet when contacted on the topic, furthering speculation that on Elton’s arrival in Godzone, he will want a suburban residence and not the Presidential suite at one of Auckland’s five-star hotels.

We hear Elton has friends on Waiheke, so one of the mansion owners equipped with a tennis court over on the island could be in for a rental windfall.

The most perfect choice would have been the former home of Sir John Key in Parnell which had the security and all-important private tennis court.

But that property was carved up, with Key selling his St Stephens Ave mansion and keeping the tennis court for the smart new pad he is building next door.

One of the city’s most stately homes — that also has one of its most private tennis courts — on Auckland’s Remuera Rd would fit the bill for the extravagant singer.

Property developers Paula and Simon Herbert sold it last year for a whopping $25.5 million to a family from China.

The sprawling multi-million dollar Westmere house that new Tauranga Mayor Tenby Powell and wife Sharon Hunter own and previously rented out to movie star Jason Statham is perfect for Elton’s security and privacy needs, but sadly (much like the Woollahra property) lacks a tennis court.

One thing for sure is when the tennis-loving Elton hits town, we are more likely to see him take a selfie with Kiwi star of the court Michael Venus, than an All Black or a Black Cap.

Rocket Man