Amherst Lawn Tennis Club

Teams

At Amherst we welcome players of all ages and abilities to get involved in team tennis. Whether you’re an experienced league player or looking to play your first competitive match, there’s a place for everyone at the club.
 

Club Matches & Competitions

Amherst competes in a variety of local and county leagues throughout the year, including:

  • 4 Sussex League Mens Doubles Teams

  • 4 Sussex League Ladies Doubles Teams

  • 3 Wealden League Mixed Doubles Teams

  • 1 Sussex League Mixed Doubles Over 40/45s Team

  • 2 National League Singles/Doubles Teams

  • 3 Sussex Youth League Junior Teams

Matches are played both home and away against clubs across Sussex and Kent, with a fantastic social and supportive atmosphere both on and off the court.

 

Competition Seasons

Team Competitons are year-round. The Summer Season runs from April through to September and the Winter Season is September to March.

 

Match Format

Most adult league matches are played in doubles format, with each pair playing both the pairs from the other team. This usually takes about three and a half hours.

Typical match structure:

  • 4 players per team

  • 2 doubles pairs

  • 2x Best of 3 sets matches - the third set is usually a championship tiebreak (first to 10 points) format

National League (Adults) and Sussex Youth League matches have a singles and a doubles round.

Junior match formats are usually the same as above, but can vary depending on age group and competition.
 

How Do I Play for Amherst?

We’re always keen to welcome new players into our teams.

If you would like to represent Amherst:

  • Attend club sessions and team practice

  • Speak to one of the team captains

  • Let us know your playing experience and availability

  • Get involved in social and internal club tennis

Selection is based on playing level, availability, commitment and creating balanced teams, but above all we want players who enjoy being part of the club and supporting each other.

Generally speaking, the higher level teams selection is based on getting the best possible team out with an aim to win, whilst in the lower level teams, selection can be often be more about giving everyone a chance to enjoy competing together and helping all who want to play have a game or two. 

If you’re unsure where you fit in, don’t worry, we’ll help guide you to the right standard and team.
 

Team Practice

Team practice sessions take place weekly on a Wednesday evening throughout the season and are a great way to:

  • Improve match play

  • Meet other players

  • Practice doubles tactics

  • Prepare for league matches

You can sign up to join one of these sessions via the Team Training WhatsApp group or by contacting Head Coach, Peter Farthing. This would be the best place to start out if you're interested in playing in one of our teams.
 

Where Do I fit in?

We're working on a Player Levels page to help everyone get a better idea of where they will feel comfortable in club mix-ins, tournaments, coaching sessions and which teams they can try out for.

Click Here to see the provisional Player Levels page.
 

Team Captains

Our captains organise fixtures, teams and communication throughout the season. They are all volunteers who work together with our coaching team to help make the teams selection process open and fair for everyone.

A list of all our Team Captains is on the noticeboard in the clubhouse. If you have any questions or want to get involved, they're always happy to help.

 

Fixtures, Schedules & Results

All our team fixtures and match schedules are on the Club Calendar.

Results are shared on our Social Media and WhatsApp groups throughout the season so members can keep up with all the Amherst action.

Team information, upcoming matches and results can also be found at these links -
 


 

We love seeing members come down to support our teams, especially during busy home match weekends at the club!

🎾 Come and be part of it!