South Wales Boys Crowned GB Champions at 18U LTA County Cup
• 4 minute read
South Wales Boys have made history by becoming GB Champions in the 18U LTA County Cup, marking the first time a Welsh team has claimed the title at this age group.
The team delivered a flawless performance in the top group of the tournament at the University of Bath Sports Training Village, securing impressive victories over Yorkshire, Surrey, and Cambridgeshire to lift the trophy.
This year’s squad featured some of the most exciting names in Welsh junior tennis, including multiple Junior ITF, Lexus British Tour, and Cymru National Championships winners. The team was made up of Oliver Page, Archie Gray, Kevin Huang, Niall Pickerd-Barua, Max Cichon, Max Swayne, Evan Lendrum, Max Lendrum, and Jacob Pearson. Every player contributed on and off the court to a consistently high standard of performance across several days of intense competition.
Credit also goes to team captains Luke Simeone and Matthew Story, whose leadership played a key role in guiding the squad to this historic success.
Archie Gray, South Wales 18U player, said:
"It was a special occasion to be in division 1 for my final junior county cup and it was even more special to win it. I couldn't have asked for a better way to go out. It was an incredible team effort over the 3 days and I want to say a massive thank you to captains Luke and Matt for leading the way."
This achievement marks the culmination of a remarkable three-year journey, with the South Wales U18 side rising from Group 3 to becoming national champions. Several players have been central to this progression over the years, including many of whom have since gone on to compete in collegiate tennis in the US.
Chris Lewis, Head of Performance at Tennis Wales, said:
“This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the quality of this group of players. To go from Group 3 to national champions over a three-year period highlights the quality of the work which has been done with all the players who have contributed at their training bases, and the strength of the pathway in Wales.”
Across other county cup results, the South Wales U18 Girls’ team had a successful weekend, finishing top of their group and earning promotion to Group 2 next year. Wins over Suffolk, Berkshire, and Warwickshire were thoroughly deserved and congratulations to all the players and captains.
The U18 LTA county cup has been one which will live long in the memory for South Wales squads this year, it’s fantastic to see teams from Wales breaking new ground and achieving at a national level.
