Hundreds of tennis players set to hit the court as County Week returns to celebrate its 125th Anniversary
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One of the oldest competitions in the annual British domestic sporting calendar takes place next week, celebrating its 125th anniversary, as the LTA Summer County Cup returns with hundreds of tennis players taking to the courts to represent their Counties all across the country, following the cancellation of last year’s event, owing to the pandemic.
First played in 1895, County Week is one of the longest running tournaments in the tennis calendar – with the pandemic meaning that last year was the first time other than during the two World Wars that the competition had not taken place. With the much loved event making a return this year, Monday 19 to Friday 23 July will see 44 counties across seven groups compete at 13 grass court venues up and down the country.
Several household names have competed in the County Cup over the years in a list that includes Andy, Jamie and Judy Murray, Sue Barker, Tim Henman, Dan Evans, Jack Draper, and Harriet Dart, as well as most recently Andrew Castle, who represented Somerset during the 2019 event.
How County Week works
County teams are organised into seven women’s groups and seven men’s groups, with teams for each tie consisting of three doubles pairs. This year will once again see over 200 ties and almost 2,000 rubbers played during the week, as teams from the 44 counties across Great Britain compete to earn promotion and avoid relegation from their respective groups.
Kent are the reigning men's champions, clinching the 2019 trophy after being newly promoted into Group 1 that year. Hertfordshire Ladies defeated Warwickshire on the final day to win the women’s event, with Emily Arbuthnott performing outstandingly for Hertfordshire winning 15 rubbers out of 15. That performance saw the Great Britain University team member become one of seven additions for 2019 to the County Week 15/15 Club – joining a select group of players to have achieved the feat.
Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park will be staging the premier Group 1 matches in the competition. The traditional home of the event will witness six women’s and six men’s teams battle it out for the 2021 County Cup titles.
such a special part of the tennis calendar
LTA Tournament Director Julie Piper said: “It is fantastic to be back for the 125th anniversary of County Week. There is real excitement building amongst the players, especially since they were unable to compete in the event last year.
“There is always a great atmosphere which is part of what makes this event such a special part of the tennis calendar. Entry for spectators is free of charge and I would urge all those who are able to attend, to do so and support the players and witness five days of hard-fought, competitive tennis.”
This year’s County Week also has the potential for new names to be added to the roll of honour, with East of Scotland and Surrey in the men’s event and Hampshire & Isle of Wight and Leicestershire in the women’s event both aiming to win the overall title for the first ever time. Meanwhile, Hertfordshire and Surrey are part of a select list of only four Counties ever to have won both the men’s and women’s events in the same year, and with teams competing in Group 1 for both events will have the chance to do so once again.
The Eastbourne event at Devonshire Park is the pinnacle of the County Cup hosting Group 1, with a further 12 grass court venues around the country staging events for Groups 2 – 7 in each of the men’s and women’s events. The leading two counties in each group earn promotion to the group above them for the 2022 competition, with the bottom two counties relegated to the group below.
Further Infromation
Play will get underway no later than 10.30am each day (weather permitting) and entry is free for all. For more information, including updated draws and results, please head to the LTA County Cup website.
125th LTA Summer County Cup 2021 Groups & Venues
WOMEN
Ladies’ Group 1
Eastbourne International Tennis Centre, Devonshire Park
- Hertfordshire
- Surrey
- Middlesex
- Yorkshire
- Hampshire & IOW
- Leicestershire
Ladies’ Group 2
East Gloucestershire Club, Cheltenham
- Warwickshire
- Essex
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Nottinghamshire
- Northumberland
Ladies’ Group 3
Nottingham Tennis Centre, Nottingham
- Norfolk
- Cheshire
- Derbyshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Avon
- Gloucestershire
Ladies’ Group 4
West Worthing Club
- Sussex
- Durham & Cleveland
- Cambridgeshire
- Berkshire
- Somerset
- BedfordshirE
Ladies’ Group 5
East Dorset LTC
- South Wales
- Lincolnshire
- East of Scotland
- Herefordshire & Worcestershire
- West of Scotland
- North of Scotland
Ladies’ Group 6
Cromer Lawn Tennis & Squash Association
- Staffordshire
- North Wales
- Shropshire
- Dorset
Ladies’ Group 7
Frinton LTC
- Devon
- Oxfordshire
- Northamptonshire
- Suffolk
- Cumbria
MEN
Men’s Group 1
Eastbourne International Tennis Centre, Devonshire Park
- Kent,
- Essex
- Suffolk
- Hertfordshire
- Surrey
- East of Scotland
Men’s Group 2
The Northern LTC, Manchester
- Middlesex
- South Wales
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Yorkshire
- Buckinghamshire
Men’s Group 3
lkley Lawn Tennis & Squash Club
- Norfolk
- Derbyshire
- Northamptonshire
- Lincolnshire
- Nottinghamshire
- Somerset
Men’s Group 4
Felixstowe Lawn Tennis Club
- North Scotland
- Berkshire
- Hampshire & IOW
- North Wales
- Warwickshire
- West of Scotland
Men’s Group 5
Canoe Lake Leisure, Southsea
- Leicestershire
- Dorset
- Lancashire
- Durham & Cleveland
- Oxfordshire
- Devon
Men’s Group 6
Avenue Lawn Tennis & Squash Club, Havant
- Herefordshire & Worcestershire
- Wiltshire
- Shropshire
- Staffordshire
- Cumbria
- AvoN
Men’s Group 7
Recreation Ground, Hunstanton
- Cornwall
- Northumberland
- Sussex
- Gloucestershire
- Bedfordshire
- South of Scotland
