National Accolades for North East Tennis Players

A team of fifteen players and four volunteers represented the two North East based clubs, Tees Valley Sound Tennis and North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club at the recent National VI Tennis Championships in Loughborough.

The event attracted a record number of entries, with the field including all of Great Britain’s medallists from this year’s International Blind Tennis Tournament in Dublin where the team took six global titles. National titles were decided across four sight categories, B1 to B4/B5 – with B1 players having the greatest degree of sight loss.

It was a fantastic event and great to welcome so many competitors from across the UK compete. The standard of play is improving year on year, with very close matches and the North East continues to fly the flag for Visually Impaired Tennis!

Anthony Harrison, from Hartlepool, became the B1 British Tennis Champion. This is a staggering achievement considering he only took up the sport 18 months ago and his dedication has paid off with a comprehensive victory in Loughborough.

More great news followed with Sam Murray playing in her first National Championship. Sam who is from Murton, County Durham competed in the B4-5 group and showcased her tactical and technical ability to beat the Nation’s best.  In the final Sam played against a fellow North East player Rosine Pybus.  What an incredible match it turned out to be, with both sets going to a tiebreak.  With immense rallies and side to side battles it was Sam who just came through to that the match 5-4 5-4. 

The founder of the North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club, Wendy Glasper went on to compete in her respective B2 final. Wendy, from Darlington, battled hard and finished runner up. Wendy summed up the North East’s success,  

 “Well done to everyone from the NE.  We all played amazingly well and should be proud of what we continue to achieve. We are a tennis family and are continuing to grow tennis across not only the North East but Nationally!”

To find out more about visually impaired tennis in the North East please email Wendy Glasper on wglasper2000@yahoo.co.uk.

For further information please visit the Tennis Foundation’s dedicated website page and the Guide to Visually Impaired Tennis. Alternatively you can email info@tennisfoundation.org.uk  or join the Blind Tennis UK Facebook group and ask other players!