Sam Groth: Former tennis pro turned Liberal MP to quit politics after single term

A former tennis pro turned rising Liberal party star will quit politics after a single term, saying pressure on his family became too much to endure.

Sam Groth, the party’s deputy leader in Victoria’s State Parliament, confirmed on Monday morning that he will not contest his seat of Nepean at the 2026 state election.

“The public pressure placed on my family in recent months has been significant and realising that some of it came from within my own party has been difficult to ignore,” he said in a statement on Monday.

“Coming to that realisation has forced some very personal reflection.”

The announcement comes months after the senior Liberal MP and his wife, Brittany, settled legal action with one of Australia’s biggest newspapers.

Mr Groth sued Melbourne’s Herald Sun over articles published in late July that focused on when the pair began their relationship.

“I have always tried to approach this job with honesty, hard work and a clear focus on the people who put their trust in me,” he said.

“But when you find yourself having to fight against your own team, it becomes impossible to put those interests first.

“That is not the standard I came into public life to accept, and it is not the kind of politics Victorians deserve.”

Mr Groth described the past few months as an extremely challenging period for his family.

“We took on this role for the right reasons, to contribute to our community and try to make a positive difference. That purpose has never changed, but the environment around it has,” he added.

Mr Groth will now take time to consider what comes next and the opportunities ahead.

The 38-year-old’s stint in politics followed a storied tennis career, which included a world record-breaking, fastest-ever serve in 2012 and a career-high ATP singles ranking of 53 in 2015.

Mr Groth was elected to the seat of Nepean, which covers the southern part of the Mornington Peninsula, in Victoria’s 2022 election.