Over the last year or so Rudgwick Tennis Club’s teams have definitely raised the bar in terms of results produced by the club’s representative players. Rudgwick competes in the Sussex Tennis League, the largest tennis league in the UK, with over seventy of the County’s biggest clubs competing. Some of the major clubs enter up to five teams in the Men’s league and five teams in the separate Ladies league. So with 13 Divisions and eight teams in each Division – that’s over one hundred men’s teams (of four players) competing, with similar numbers also competing in the Ladies League.

Just counting Sussex club’s 1st teams, Rudgwick ranks among the top one third of strongest club teams! Our Men’s 1st team has been promoted six times out of the last six years, winning Div 6 this year, only dropping one rubber in all their matches.

The Ladies 1st team have won, along with promotion, all seven Divisions they have contested since our new clubhouse enabled us to re-enter the League.

This successful competing is having a trickle-down effect on the membership of the club too, as the general standard is noticeably strengthening at club sessions, for example the very well organised mid-week practice sessions.

Looking ahead, 2025 will see, for the first time, Rudgwick enter four teams (two Ladies teams and two Men’s) to compete in the Sussex Tennis League. Having second teams gaining experience of match play will contribute towards further steady improvement and depth of our teams.

Another exciting aspect of match play, recently rolled out by the LTA, is the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) global playing standard system. Every tennis player who plays competitive tennis, as in the Sussex League for instance, will have their results automatically recorded, and algorithms will determine a World Tennis Number (WTN) based on match scores over time. The ITF have actually been collating data since 2016 and WTNs are now available on the LTA website. Novices are given a 40.0 WTN and rankings then drop down to professional players ranked on 1. At that point professional tennis players are just listed as Pro in the system, and National Rankings take over. As examples: the algorithm rates our Men’s 1st team squad of Ed Kear, Henry Kear, Luke Tomlinson, Sean Goodall and Clinton Smith with WTNs of 23.6, 25.1, 25.9, 26.3, 26.1 respectively.

Mid-week Competitive Match Practice

Arranged by our Chair with an email at the weekend ascertaining availability, the more experienced players, both men and ladies, play competitive doubles on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm. Participation in this group is by invitation only. We do charge for ball usage, with a running account for every session and a request for payment every now and then. Players also have to pay the light subscription.

“From the first session I was welcomed to the club by a very friendly bunch. Since then have only been more convinced of the club’s good nature. Come rain or shine always good to have a good thrash with groups being arranged on all days of the week! Have particularly enjoyed being part of the 1st team representing Rudgwick in Sussex league working our way up the divisions and enjoying good contests. Have yet to find a better club and doubtful that there is one!”

Luke, Adult member 

“As a junior member, I love the atmosphere of the club and the community within the members. I always feel welcome at the club nights no matter my age. And the courts are such high quality, the ball speed and bounce is amazing!”

Olwen, Junior member