The Tennis Foundation, in partnership with the UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disability (UKSA), has named a four-strong squad of players for the 6th Inas World Tennis Championships, which takes place in Mont De Marsan, France, from 17th to 22nd June.
The four players are:
Fabrice Higgins (Chorley, Lancashire)
Thomas Mellor (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)
Peter Millar (Birkenhead, Wirral)
Shain Lewis (Builth Wells, Powys)
This is the same quartet of players that returned from the 5th Inas World Tennis Championships in the Czech Republic in June 2013 with a haul of three gold medals and a silver medal.
It was the first time that British players have won medals at the Inas World Tennis Championships, which are part of a high performance elite pathway for players with learning disability.
Players from Great Britain access the Inas pathway through the strong collaboration between the Tennis Foundation and the UK Sports Association (UKSA), the official Great Britain member of Inas.
Higgins completed last June’s event in the Czech Republic as a triple world champion after winning gold in the men’s singles, men’s doubles and the Team event, with Mellor winning the silver medal in the men’s singles after a historic all-British final.
Mellor and Higgins also won gold in the Team event last summer, with Higgins winning his third gold medal alongside Millar in the men’s doubles. Millar also won the men’s consolation singles to complete a highly successful event for Great Britain.
Geoff Newton, Executive Director of the Tennis Foundation, said: “The Tennis Foundation is committed to increasing the opportunities for players of all abilities to play tennis and reach their full potential and we are delighted to partner with UKSA to show a clear performance pathway for elite learning disability athletes. After last summer’s successes in the Czech Republic we wish the athletes and coaches all the very best in France “
UKSA Chief Executive, Tracey McCillen, said: “I’m very proud of the collaboration between UKSA and the Tennis Foundation; it just goes to show how partnerships such as these can enable athletes with learning disability to achieve at the very highest level on the world’s sporting stage!”
The 6th Inas World Tennis Championships come a year ahead of the Inas Global Games, which take place in Ecuador in 2015.
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