Warwickshire Tennis is enjoying a double celebration after its players picked up two prestigious titles at the LTA National Awards Ceremony. British number 1 Dan Evans from Birmingham who recently reached a career-high world ranking of 25 was named Men’s Player of the Year following a superb return to competition after lockdown. He even inflicted a rare defeat on world number 1 Novak Djokovic at Monte Carlo in April and also reached the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club last week. He shares the award with Wheelchair Tennis star Alfie Hewett.

Meanwhile Warwickshire’s 14 and Under County Cup Boys Team have won the coveted LTA President’s Award for their gruelling feat in raising over £2500 for the NHS and Covid patients while covering around 170 miles with a virtual team run. The youngsters were bitterly disappointed when the Inter-County Cup Championship in May 2020 was cancelled but instead they stayed positive by fund-raising and keeping fit into the bargain. The boys, led by nationally-ranked Ferran Redza from Warwick plus his teammates Yash Bhalkar and Sukhraj Malhi from Birmingham, Samuel Sitch from Solihull, Connor Checketts  and Ollie Roe, both from Kenilworth, Daniel Garthwaite from Rugby and their captain and coach Simon Ferguson ran as many miles as possible on the two weekends scheduled for the championship.

Running individually in their home areas and cheered on by their proud supporters, several even ran marathon distances over the five days. So impressed was LTA President David Rawlinson by the boys’ grit and generosity that he selected them to receive his personal national award. It was a welcome addition to the other honours they have won, including Warwickshire’s Team of the Year Award and the Jimmy Hill Legacy Award, from nurses of the RISE Mental Health Services, recognising acts of kindness during the pandemic by young people in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Claire Williamson, from Blossomfield, a county stalwart as a much-respected coach and long-serving Warwickshire player was among the national finalists in in the Performance Coach Category. After leading numerous Warwickshire junior girls sides with great dedication, she had already won the Awards for both the County and the Midlands Performance Coach of the Year.

“All of us in Warwickshire Tennis are hugely proud of our prizewinners and our finalist Claire,” said County Chairman Sherrie Meaking. “Dan Evans thoroughly deserves his accolade of LTA Men’s Player of the Year after a fantastic season. Our 14 and Under Boys have rightly been recognised for a great team effort with the LTA President’s Award too – a fantastic feat by the boys themselves, their coaches and families. These awards will remain a lasting memory in everybody’s mind, but also promote all the good things we are doing in Warwickshire for Club and County Tennis.”