Oxfordshire twins Alex and Beth Simmons return to the National Deaf Tennis Championships in Welwyn Garden City this weekend (4-6 May) hoping to build on a history of success.
Organised by the Tennis Foundation, the National Deaf Tennis Championships is the domestic highlight on the deaf tennis calendar and between then Alex and Beth have won one women’s singles, three women’s doubles titles and five mixed doubles titles.
Alex and Beth hail from Marcham, with Beth, who won the women’s singles National Championships title in 2005, now living in Oxford as she pursues a career in occupational therapy.
The 26-year-old sisters journey through the deaf tennis ranks has seen the achieve success both at home and internationally and together they are three-time women’s doubles National champions. They were also both members of Great Britain team that won the Dresse Cup, the Fed Cup-style team event event in deaf tennis, in Austria in 2003.
After Beth won the mixed doubles title in 2012, as well as being a semi-finalist in the women’s singles and doubles, Alex is relishing joining her sister in the field again for this year’s event.
“I’m really looking forward to this weekend and to seeing everyone again.” said Alex. “I haven't competed in the National Championships for four years while studying occupational therapy, so I’m looking forward to supporting the event once again and to getting back to some competitive tennis after joining Oxford City Tennis Club recently. "
Whilst Alex and Beth play with different partners in the women’s doubles this year, Alex is renewing a previously successful partnership for the mixed doubles. She joins forces with Bath-based Daniel Tunstall, with whom she has won three mixed doubles National titles as well as the mixed doubles bronze medal at the 20th Deaflympic Games in Melbourne in 2005.