Great Britain Win 23 Medals at 2018 INAS World Tennis Championships in Paris
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Great Britain completed the 2018 INAS World Tennis Championships with a total of 23 medals in Paris on Saturday. Played concurrently with the European Championships, the World Championships saw over 40 of the world’s elite para-athlete tennis players with a learning disability compete to be crowned world champions in men’s and women’s singles and doubles, mixed doubles and an overall team competition.
Winning 10 medals in the World Championships & 13 medals in the European Championships, team GB – comprising Anna McBride (14, Dunfermline, Scotland), Fabrice Higgins (23, Chorley, Lancashire), Dominic Iannotti (20, Prestwick, Scotland), Thomas Mellor (28, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire) and Luke Turnbull (14, North Berwick, Scotland) competed against players from nine different nations, with the team facing off in round robin groups in singles, doubles and mixed before going into a main draw to compete for podium positions.
Bettering last year’s five winning medals, team GB stormed to victory, with the following players earning gold, silver & bronze medals in their respective divisions:
Women’s Singles
World Championships:
Gold medallist: Anna McBride
European Championships:
Gold medallist: Anna McBride
Men’s Team Competition
World Championships:
Silver medallists: Fabrice Higgins/Dominic Iannotti
Bronze medallists: Thomas Mellor/Luke Turnbull
European Championships:
Gold medallists: Fabrice Higgins/Dominic Iannotti
Silver medallists: Thomas Mellor/Luke Turnbull
Men’s Doubles
World Championships:
Gold medallists: Fabrice Higgins and Dominic Iannotti
European Championships:
Gold medallists: Fabrice Higgins and Dominic Iannotti
Bronze medallists: Thomas Mellor and Luke Turnbull.
Men’s Singles
World Championships:
Silver medallist: Fabrice Higgins.
European Championships:
Gold medallists: Fabrice Higgins
Bronze medallist: Dominic Iannotti
Mixed Doubles
World Championships:
Gold medallists: Dominic Iannotti and Anna McBride
European Championships:
Gold medallists: Dominic Iannotti and Anna McBride
Speaking of his performance, Britain’s Dominic Iannotti – who won an outstanding 7 medals, including 2 golds, commented:
This is my 3rd time representing Great Britain at an INAS games. It’s a great honour to be selected to represent my country again and I always enjoy coming to a new venue and experiencing a new city.
Echoing her teammate’s sentiments, four-time 2018 gold medallist Anna McBride who was making her debut at the games added:
I feel so proud to have represented my country at an international level. I was a little bit nervous coming into the games, but once I settled here I really enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing the atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed playing mixed doubles with Dominic and felt we were a great team! I’ll definitely use this experience to push on in the future!
Coached by the Tennis Foundation’s Head of Coaching and Talent Karen Ross, selection for Great Britain’s INAS World Tennis Championships team is part of a high performance elite pathway for players with a learning disability, accessed through a strong collaboration between Britain’s leading tennis charity, the Tennis Foundation, and the UK Sports Association (UKSA), the official Great Britain member of INAS.
Commenting on Great Britain’s success, Tracey McCillen, Chief Executive of the UK Sports Association said:
What an achievement for the GB Tennis Team, I am very proud of what they have achieved. All of the players and staff have represented their country well and made GB proud. What an extraordinary international debut for Anna McBride. At just 14 years old to take two international world titles in her first INAS Championships is phenomenal. What a great example and role model to other young players out there and what a great career she has ahead of her. Well done to the players, staff and all the work from the Tennis Foundation. I am delighted that the TF and UKSA continue to work together to enable elite players to succeed on the international stage - bring on the next Championships!
It is hoped the World Championships will help to raise the profile and awareness of Learning Disability Tennis and also encourage more people to play tennis in the UK, whatever their disability.
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