The final week of the summer holidays is regarded as the best and most enjoyable week of them all by most players. It’s a week where most of Kent’s junior players flock to Bromley Tennis Centre for the Kent County Closed Championships with the winners being crowned county champions. In its 84th year the Kent Championships were for a third year running the largest of its kind across Great Brittain with more players and entries than Lancashire, Middlesex and Surrey! The weather this year was AMAZING which added to the atmosphere and most players could be found outside enjoying some mini tennis, table tennis & mini football between matches. Congratulations to Thomas Wright and Sophie Thomas our Junior Champions of 2013.
The much established tournament team in their fourth year of running the tournament was once again headed up by Susan Finch (Tournament Director) and Chris Mann (Lead Tournament Referee) with Nicole Daisley joining the team as Tournament Logistics Co-ordinator.. The team set themselves a task of making it the best Championships and each year they come up trumps, this year was no different and they superseded their expectations. The Men’s Open Singles grew from strength to strength and this year had 40 players, other adults just entered doubles. For 2014 we hope the women’s events will grow in the same way. Doubles entries once again remained open until the second day, including extending the sign in for the Open events till the evening to allow players to find a partner on site.
This year saw 447 players enter the Championships, resulting in 620 entries contested on all 14 courts well into the evening. As in previous years, each player received a T-shirt, Championship’s Programme and Information Pack courtesy of Kent LTA and their sponsors. 935 matches were played over the course of the seven day event amounting to 1689 sets and 8,396 games!!!
Austin Smith (Kent LTA President) and Harri Izzard (Kent LTA Tennis Development Officer) were on hand to present the trophies and prizes to the Championships’ winners on Finals Day as well as offering their thanks to the Tournament Team. Tudor Rowe was greatly missed from the presentation party – many congratulations to him and his wife, Viv, on the birth of their second daughter, Jessica Lily.
Our most sincere thanks must go to everyone involved in organising and helping at the Kent County Closed Championships 2013 in particular Susan Finch (Tournament Director & Tournament Referee), Chris Mann (Lead Tournament Referee), Nicole Daisley (Tournament Logistics Coordinator), Court Supervisors, Control Desk Officials, Umpires and volunteers who without them this event would not be possible. The Championships Tournament Team would also like to thank the sponsors of the event Kent Lawn Tennis Association who provided the programmes, T Shirts and maintained the trophies, to Slazenger, who provided the 96 dozen tournament balls required for the event, Bromley Tennis Centre and their staff for providing the venue and to Cripps Harries Hall.
We look forward to welcoming players entries for next year’s event. Please check the website to enter The 85th Championships. Entries will open around mid-July 2014. www.kenttennis.net
2013 Winners