Recap
Best moments in British tennis – January 2024
In a new series exclusive for Advantage members, we’ll be giving you an update on everything going on in British tennis – from the pros competing at the Grand Slams to players discovering their love for tennis at the park.
Five titles in Melbourne
There was plenty for British fans to cheer about at this year’s Australian Open with multiple champions across different draws.
In the wheelchair competitions there was a fifth consecutive men’s doubles trophy for Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid – who also reached an incredible 19 major titles together as a team.
Hewett also made the singles final, but finished runner-up to 17-year-old Japanese star Tokito Oda 6-2, 6-4.
Andy Lapthorne and American partner David Wagner captured their ninth quad doubles title together as a team – 10 years on from their first at the Australian Open.
Anna McBride and Esah Hayat secured three titles between them at the Australian Open Players With Intellectual Impairments (PWII) Championships and Deaf or Hard Of Hearing (DHOH) Championships.
McBride won both the women’s singles and doubles titles for the second year running in the PWII Championships, while Hayat partnered Hungary’s Gabor Matthe to lift the men’s doubles trophy in the DHOH Championships.
Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon champions Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk finished as runners-up in the mixed doubles and 17-year-old Viktor Frydrych cam runner-up in the boys’ doubles event.
Draper, Salisbury, Glasspool, Hewett & Reid stand-out performers Down Under
It wasn’t just the Australian Open where the Brits enjoyed success this month…
Jack Draper reached his second ATP final in just three months at the Adelaide International to kick-start his year.
The young Brit defeated three players inside the top 35, including Sebastian Baez, Tommy Paul and Alexander Bublik, before losing to Jiri Lehecka 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
Staying in Adelaide – it was a 15th tour-level title for Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram, thanks to a win over second seeds and now Australian Open champions Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden.
Over in Brisbane, Lloyd Glasspool and Jean-Julien Rojer made a dream start to their partnership by lifting the Brisbane International title with victory against Yuki Bhambri and Robin Haase.
Hewett and Reid’s strong start to the season began at the Melbourne Wheelchair Open. Hewett clinched the singles title before teaming up with Reid to secure the doubles crown.
Special shout-out to Harriet Dart who made her first WTA 125 final in Canberra, as well as Emma Raducanu after making her long awaited comeback in Auckland.
Brits back in training at the National Tennis Centre
It's been a busy few weeks in Roehampton as Boulter, Raducanu, Draper, Dart and a whole host of the Brits got back into training at the National Tennis Centre.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at what's been going on...
Players discover their love for tennis at the park
Over 1,500 park tennis courts have been transformed through our Park Project – including Stanley Park in Blackpool.
These park courts reopened in August following a £217,000 UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation transformation, delivered by the LTA in partnership with Blackpool Council.
Since then, people from the local community have been able to take advantage of the newly refurbished courts – in particularly enjoying Free Park Tennis session at the weekends.
For local player Maddie and married couple Tyler and Courtney, these courts and free sessions have given them the opportunity to get involved in tennis for the first time and discover their love for the sport.
Edmund seals back-to-back titles in comeback
Kyle Edmund stole the show at the recent M25 events at Loughborough and Sunderland – lifting back-to-back singles titles at the first tournaments of our Performance Competitions Calendar.
Edmund went on a 10-match winning streak to seal his first singles titles since the New York Open in 2020.
His performances has helped him secure a wild card for the upcoming Lexus Nottingham Challenger.
Wheelchair tennis coach Mark Bullock receives ITF Award
Huge congratulations to former Great Britain National Wheelchair Tennis Coach Mark Bullock, who recently received the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) esteemed Brad Parks Award.
The Brad Parks Award is presented annually to honour individuals or organisations that have significantly impacted the global landscape of wheelchair tennis.
This recognition highlights Bullock’s unwavering commitment to the world of wheelchair tennis over more than 30 years.
Read more about Mark’s achievement and his career to date
Emily Appleton shares her advice for young players
Former top 10 junior tennis player and current WTA doubles world No.130 Emily Appleton recently featured on the My Tennis Journey podcast, talking about the jump to the pro game.
“I think the biggest piece of advice I would give my 13-year-old self is to just not worry about anything,” she said when sharing her experience with 13-year-old presenter Stan Salmon.
“Just have fun developing and being with your friends whilst playing tennis. It should be a place where you’re having fun, getting better and growing as a person on and off the court. When I was 13, I found tennis a bit too stressful at times and looking back, there was absolutely no need.”