TENNIS PLAYERS URGED TO ENTER BRITAIN’S LARGEST TENNIS TOURNAMENT AS AUGUST EVENT DEADLINE LOOMS

Burnham Market boutique hotel owner sponsors 2024 Hunstanton Lawn Tennis Tournament

Tennis players have just one month remaining to enter Britain’s largest annual tournament - the Hunstanton Lawn Tennis Tournament.

Entries to the City Pub Group-sponsored Tournament taking place from Sunday, August 18 to Saturday, August 24 will once again be held on 38 grass courts at the Hunstanton Recreation Ground.

Established in 1920, the Tournament traditionally attracts more than 1,000 competitors from under-10s to over 75s. This year tennis players will compete across 51 singles and doubles events and, additionally, there will be the ever-popular round robin event for youngsters aged 10 and under and 12 and under who have just starting playing the sport.

The event, affectionately known as ‘Sunny Hunny’ and the ‘Glastonbury of Tennis’ was named the Lawn Tennis Association’s ‘Competition of the Year’ in the governing body’s 2020 annual awards.

Tournament secretary Chris Holt, who this year marks his 49th year in the post, said: “The family-orientated Tournament, which sees second, third and fourth generations of families competing and spectating year after year, promises to be as successful as ever this year - subject to the British weather co-operating!”

He continued: “Planning the Tournament is a year-round task. But thanks to a very supportive and hard-working committee, I have seen the event expand from a small six-day Tournament with around 20 events held on about 10 courts to the award-winning success it is today.”

Typically, as the July 1 player entry deadline looms, organisers prepare for an avalanche of competitors entering events across the age spectrum. Full entry details are available at: https://www.hunstantonltt.co.uk.

Currently around 300 players have submitted entries and, said Mr Holt: “I would anticipate that figure to rise more than three-fold in the coming weeks across both the junior and senior age groups. Playing standards vary from relative beginners to top class county standard and nationally ranked players.”

The City Pub Group, which operates almost 50 independently managed and locally run community pubs, bars, inns, hotels, and brew houses including The Hoste Arms in Burnham Market, is sponsoring the Tournament for the first time. The hugely popular Norfolk boutique hotel will be operating the event’s bar during the week.

Other sponsors and partners include: long-time supporter Cheffins, the almost 200-year-old regional business offering advice on property, land, farms, fine art, tractors and steam engines as well as hosting regular auctions, again sponsoring the Tournament food court, ‘Tuck in at the Tennis’, offering a wide selection of food and beverages. Greshams School in Holt, which is continuing its sponsorship of the youngsters’ round robin event for a further year; and East Anglia-based Tournament tennis ball provider Top Spin Tennis, which will have a marquee on the Recreation Ground selling a wide range of equipment and clothing. Additionally, there will be a range of other trade stalls on site during Tournament week.

Annually the Tournament supports a local charity - in 2023 it was the Hunstanton and District Foodbank - and this year’s organisation is the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), which has a lookout station by the sea wall in the grounds of the Royal West Norfolk Golf Club adjoining Brancaster Beach. 

Brancaster NCI comprises a team of dedicated volunteers who keep a vigilant watch over the Beach and surrounding waters monitoring the sea and shoreline, providing essential safety support for mariners and beachgoers. In the event of potential maritime emergencies, volunteers forewarn the Coastguard of actual or possible incidents at sea so a lifeboat can be launched at the earliest opportunity.

The Tournament will make a donation to Brancaster NCI and representatives of the organisation will be at the Recreation Ground during the week collecting donations and explaining its work.

Charlie Swaine won the men’s singles as a 16-year-old in 2023 making him, as far as can be determined, the youngest winner of the title in the Tournament’s more than 100-year history. He is pictured receiving the trophy from Hunstanton Mayor cllr Michael Ruston

Action from the 2023 Hunstanton Lawn Tennis Tournament

Alice Gamman (Lincolnshire), winner of the 2023 ladies’ singles title, receives the trophy from Hunstanton Mayor cllr Michael Ruston

Tournament secretary Chris Holt (right) presents a cheque for £565 to the Hunstanton and District Foodbank following last year’s event