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Players from West Bridgford Tennis Club have won thirteen gold medals between them at the Tennis Foundation's 8th National Learning Disability Tennis Event at Nottingham Tennis Centre.
With the tournament's 41 player all playing in different groups against opponents of similar tennis ability, Joseph Eccles, Stephen Uttley and Aiden Leighton all won gold medals in singles and doubles competition, while Peter Norton, William Haynes and Matthew Chilvers each won gold medals in singles and silver medals in doubles.
Luke East, Leigh Foster, Alex Eustace and Katherine Ashcroft all won doubles gold medals, with Scott Brown and Alex Hopkinson each winning two silver medals apiece after their singles and doubles events.
While narrowly missing out on a medal in the Men's Group 2 Singles, Michael Clarke won a doubles silver medal as he, Eccles and Eustace all added to the silver and bronze medals they won at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens in the summer.
"I'm very proud of them all, they've all done a great job and it's fantastic to see our group growing in number all the time and some new players coming through to achieve success at their first tournament," said Lesley Whitehead, Tennis Manager and Disability Tennis Coordinator at West Bridgford Tennis Club. "It's been a great year for the group, starting with our own National tournament that we held for the second year running in the spring and Michael, Joseph and Alex all going on to represent Great Britain in Athens."
The Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Cllr Michael Wildgust, presented the players with their trophies and said: “I really enjoy coming along to all the disability tennis events the Tennis Foundation run in Nottingham and this weekend has been no exception.”
“It’s always a great family day out and I encourage everyone to go and watch any local disability tennis events as the standard of tennis is just so impressive.”
The Tennis Foundation run beginner and development camps throughout the year for people of all disabilities who want to play tennis. Please contact disabilitytennis@tennisfoundation.org.uk for more information.
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