As the year comes to a close, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on some of the outstanding performances from our players.
Across the age groups and playing categories we have players who have successfully competed both nationally and internationally, winning trophies galore and rising up the rankings in the process.
So lets start back in January 2024:
JANUARY:
Alfie Hewitt and partner Gordon Reid win a 5th Australian Open doubles title together as they beat Takuya Miki & Tokito Oda (JPN) 6-3, 6-2.
FEBRUARY:
Caroline Blincoe and Lesley Cooper won the O65s Doubles at The British Open Masters 2024. Caroline was also R/U in the O70s Singles event
MARCH:
Norfolk U/18 Boys won promotion to Group 3 of LTA County Cup. The team consisting of Louis, Jayden, Rico, Luie, Joseph, Oli, Luca, Gregor and James secured wins against Sussex 6-3, Somerset 6-3 and Durham & Cleveland 5-2 to win Group 4a in Cardiff
APRIL:
Dawn Foxhall and Kingsley Harris representing GB Seniors in the FIP Seniors World Padel Championships, in Alicante, Spain.
MAY:
Alfie Hewett and Ben Bartram help GB Men win a 4th Wheelchair World Team Cup title in Antalya, Turkey
JUNE:
Georgia Routledge wins the Para Standing World Championships (P3 Category) in Turin, Italy
Alfie Hewett and partner Gordon Reid win Men's wheelchair doubles final at the French Open for a fifth successive year. The top seeds gained an impressive 6-1 6-4 victory over second-seeded Japanese duo Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda on court 14 at Roland Garros.
JULY:
Norfolk Mens team win 4 of 5 rubbers at LTA Summer County Cup but remain in Div 4. A great effort by the squad; Crawley(C), Jenkins(VC), Watkinson, Davies, Stoppani, McNaughton, Terry, Withers, S Whiting & Fisher
Alfie Hewitt completes a career grandslam after winning Wimbledon! The wheelchair tennis superstar from Cantley, Norfolk, has now won 9 grandslam singles titles
Olivia Nicholls and partner Tereza Mihalikova reach 3rd round of the Ladies Doubles at Wimbledon.
Cromer Lawn Tennis & Squash Club won the LTA National Competition of the Year Award 2024.
North Wootton win Norfolk Primary Schools Mini Tennis Festival 2024
AUGUST:
British No. 3 Ruby Bishop beat Latvia’s Diana Nikiforova twice to successfully retain the Lithuanian Open wheelchair title and also clinched the Vilnius Open crown.
The following Norfolk players reached the final or won the events at Cromer Junior Open:
Mens Doubles: Ben Collingwood/Ethan Terry Doubles finalists
Girls U/10: Sofia C Singles finalist
Boys U/18: Joseph P Singles Winner
Special mention must go to Amelia B who was a multi winner, having won the U/14, U/16, & U/18 Girls Singles events.
Norfolk Over 35 Ladies Team win promotion to LTA County Cup Div 3. The team of Emma Burckitt, Jeannette Baxter, Karen Highfield, Lucy brooks and Sam Hickman beat Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Northants.
SEPTEMBER:
Alfie Hewitt wins gold & silver at Paralympics 2024
Norfolk County Championships Festival of Tennis: For a full listing of results please visit: LTA - Tennis for Britain - Norfolk County Championships Festival of Tennis 2024 - Draws
NOVEMBER:
Jane Ling was part of England that won the inaugural Four Nations Super Seniors Competition, against Scotland, Wales and Ireland, at the Bolton Arena.
Norfolk Ladies Win Promotion To Division 4 in LTA Winter County Cup. The team of Jess Wilde, Bronte Farrage, Karen Highfield, Sam Hickman, Rosie Pooley, Maddie Broooks, Imogen Osborn, Ruby Syer, Daisy Waddison, Lisa Harrison beat Oxfordshire 8-1, Devon 7-2 and Staffordshire 5-3
Olivia Nicholls part of the GB Billie Jean King Cup Team who reached the Semi Finals in Malaga.
Maddie Brooks and Isabelle Haverlag (Holland) won the ITF W75 Doubles Title in Hamburg.
Easton Tennis Centre hosts Norwich M25 ITF Mens Professional Tennis Tournament
DECEMBER:
Lucy won the Under 18 Wheelchair Singles title at the Lexus Wheelchair Tennis National Finals at The Shrewsbury Club
Ruby Bishop won the Wheelchair Doubles title at the Paratennis Toulouse-Balma in France with partner Sandrine Cauderon Paulin. Ruby was also singles runner up, narrowly losing out to her doubles partner in three sets in the final.
Ben Bartram won the Wheelchair Doubles and was Singles runner up at the TTF 1 in Turkey. Ben won the doubles title with Japanese partner Shogo Takano. After a good run in singles Ben lost in the final to Chinese player Zhenxu.
It has been a fantastic year for Norfolk Tennis.
It is however with great sadness we remember two incredible men who sadly passed away in early 2024:
JEREMY CAMERON 1947-2023
Norfolk LTA past President and LTA Meritorious Service Award winner Jeremy died on 30th December while on holiday in Trinidad.
GEOFFRY COPEMAN CBE.
Geoffrey was NLTA President from 2003/5, a keen tennis player and a loyal supporter of Norfolk Tennis over many years.