AYRTON Little, who plays at Redditch Tennis Club, may not have lifted silverware on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon – but he still enjoyed an unforgettable experience at SW19.
The 13-year-old, from Warndon and who attends the online Minerva School for athletes, featured in the national finals at the Play Your Way to Wimbledon event – the largest individual mass participation tennis competition in the UK.
Thousands of 14-and-under and 18-and-under players took part in the qualifying stages, leading to county and regional finals in June and July, with the winners progressing to the national finals on Wimbledon’s Aorangi Courts.
Little, who described Rafael Nadal as his tennis idol, failed to progress to the latter stages of the tournament, but was still thrilled to attend Wimbledon and revealed it was an experience he will never forget.
Little said: “It’s quite a big achievement. I’ve been trying to get to Wimbledon for three years in a row, so knowing that I’ve managed to get here on my last chance is great.
“It doesn’t seem real. But once I arrived, it felt good. The courts are the best you can get, they’re really fresh.
“Tennis is my full time passion, I left school to do it, so I’m going to give it my all to get to being professional.”
The competition looks to inspire the next generation of tennis talent, enabling players of all ages to follow in the footsteps of their heroes and compete for a chance to play on Wimbledon’s iconic courts.
Former British number one Tim Henman was also in attendance to cheer on the players at SW19 and offer his experience and advice.
Henman said: “Play Your Way to Wimbledon is an incredible opportunity for people from every walk of life to pick up a racket and get involved and it’s been great to see so many players taking part in this year’s competition.
“This is an opportunity that not many get, so there are lots of people walking around with big smiles on their faces.
“I would encourage the finalists to enjoy their matches, soak it all up, take that experience away with you and spread the word. Hopefully we can keep increasing participation numbers.”
And another former British number one, Laura Robson, led a coaching clinic alongside the All England Club’s head coach Dan Bloxham, allowing players who just missed out on the 14-and-under national finals to experience grass court play.
Robson said: “The coaching clinic is so much fun. All the kids work so hard out there and have a smile on their face the entire time which is exactly what you want.
“It’s a highlight of the year for many and this feels like a big deal, because it is. Everything here is exactly as it was when the main tournament was on, which makes it even more special.
“I played this competition when it was ‘Road to Wimbledon’ – just about everyone who is currently in British tennis has played at this event, so hopefully we can create some good memories for the players out there.”
Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, is the UK’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition, providing recreational players of all ages and abilities the opportunity to compete at Wimbledon. The All England Club and LTA are proud to partner with Vodafone to expand the competition in 2024.
