From world champions to grass roots coaches: Celebrating the stars of learning disability tennis
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During Learning Disability Awareness Week, we have celebrated both the success of the GB Learning Disability Tennis Team and the work of tennis coach Matthew Chilvers, on court at the Lexus Nottingham Open.
The theme of Learning Disability Awareness Week, run by MENCAP, this year is "Do you see me?" highlighting the importance of people with a learning disability being seen, heard and valued. With this in mind, we are celebrating some of the stars of Learning Disability tennis on court at the Lexus Nottingham Open.
On Wednesday the British Learning Disability Tennis Team were celebrated by the crowd for their historic achievements at the Virtus World Championships. The team has just returned from Astana, Kazakhstan, where they secured a record-breaking haul of five gold, three silver, and two bronze medals in the World Championships.
Scotland’s Dominic Iannotti was given the honour of doing the coin toss ahead of British No.5, Fran Jones taking on Linda Noskova on Centre Court. Iannotti, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, has been a trailblazer in the sport and led the British success in Kazakhstan, making history by becoming the first player to win four gold medals at a single Virtus tournament.
Iannotti was joined by Anna McBride, Oliver Beadle, and their families in the crowd, as the crowd celebrated their incredible achievements on the world stage.
It’s an honour to get recognised on this stage off the back of my success in Kazakhstan and what has turned into an incredible playing career.
We support performance pathways for Learning Disability, Para Standing, Deaf and Visually Impaired Tennis – giving more players the chance to represent Great Britain on the international stage. We also stage a year-round calendar of domestic disability tennis competitions, so that everyone has the opportunity to compete.
Earlier in the week, Matthew Chilvers, a member of the LTA Disability Advisory Group and tennis coach from Leicestershire had also been celebrated for his work to engage underserved groups at Desford Lawn Tennis Club, including working with MENCAP - a charity which supports people with a learning disability, their families and their carers.
Having an autism spectrum disorder himself, Matthew spotted that many people on the autism spectrum did not take up opportunities to play tennis. Knowing that tennis is for everyone, Matthew set up three summer camps promoted through Leicestershire Autism Society, Leicestershire County Council Local Offer, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and special schools in the county. These were so successful that he then went on to set up and run weekly relaxed, inclusive autism-friendly tennis sessions.
In recognition of his work, Matthew won the 2025 “Tennis Opened Up” Award by Tennis Leicestershire and was selected for a national LTA Excellence Award 2025. He was welcomed on court to do the coin toss ahead of the British No.2, Katie Boulter’s win against Lulu Sun in the first round of the Lexus Nottingham Open.
Chilvers said: “Coaching disability tennis is something I care deeply about and as someone who is autistic, the Tennis Opened Up Award means a lot to me. It reflects not just my journey as a coach, but also the belief that tennis can—and should—be for everyone. It's a powerful reminder of the impact that inclusive, accessible tennis sessions can have on individuals and communities.
“It’s incredible to see how these sessions help build confidence, friendships, and a love for the game, proving that tennis truly can be for everyone. I will continue to provide opportunities for accessible tennis sessions to open tennis up for more neurodiverse people.”
Iannotti said: “It’s an honour to get recognised on this stage off the back of my success in Kazakhstan and what has turned into an incredible playing career. Hopefully I can now look to inspire others to take up the sport and show that anything is possible in tennis.”
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