“This is where it starts – tennis can be for everyone’ – Jack Draper meets LTA Award winners from the Carolle & Iman Tennis Programme
• 2 MINUTE READ
British tennis star Jack Draper took time out of his busy training schedule ahead of the Davis Cup to meet a group of very special award winners at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.
23 women from the Carolle and Iman Tennis programme travelled from Birmingham to spend a day at our training hub. The two LTA Assistant coaches, Carolle Forde Garcia and Iman Mahmood, were winners of the ‘Tennis For All’ trophy at the LTA Tennis Awards, presented by Lexus, back in July.
In the fourth and final of our LTA Awards video series - the team got the chance to tour the building, watch Emma Raducanu, Draper and other British stars practicing and going through their drills, and finally fulfil their tennis dreams by hitting with the world No.61 in the sunshine.
Jack, one of the brightest prospects in British tennis, said: “It's important to give back. There are people out there who are doing an amazing job like Carolle and Iman. I hope they keep it up. I think they're really enjoying what they're doing too.’’
“Tennis is such an amazing sport, not just for professional players like myself but for all different genders, people from different backgrounds. It’s so important to get everyone involved.’’
Iman said: “It’s amazing to see a professional tennis player in real life. I think it’s really helped encourage the women and show them they can get involved.’’
Carolle and Iman met on an LTA tennis training course and have since gone on an incredible journey together that has helped inspire other women in their home city of Birmingham to pick up a racket and play tennis, delivering free tennis to dozens of women and children from diverse backgrounds.
Carolle said: “What we are trying to do is really encourage women, and especially women from diverse ethnic communities to get involved with tennis. Within weeks we had 70 women signed up.’’
“We just want to prove that this is something that can be done,’’ Iman added.
Since they began in January 2022, the numbers have risen. Now they have over 300 women and children attending sessions - around 80% of those being from diverse communities.
Jack chatted to the group and even threw in some of his amazing tricks shots for fun. “It’s really, really important, especially for someone like me who's always travelling, to see a kind of different perspective with tennis.
“This is where it starts. It doesn't have to be so serious the whole time. Tennis can be for everyone,’’ Jack added.
As the group headed back to Birmingham after the trip Carolle added: “We brought the award back to our women because they had supported us and come to our sessions week after week. It was really an award for them.’’
LTA Tennis Awards, presented by Lexus
The annual LTA Tennis Awards, presented by Lexus, highlight the incredible achievements and contributions of people in tennis across Britain. Nominations for the LTA Tennis Awards 2024 are open until 30 November 2023.
