HSBC Road to Wimbledon

Tournament Director Paul Hutchins writes about today

The day started with the Tim Henman and Dan Bloxham clinic and ended with a thrilling tie-break in the girls doubles that went down to the wire, and in between some really good tennis by oh so keen juniors.

Once again the clouds stayed far enough away but for a couple of brief showers the rain stayed away until after the finals had been completed.

The All England Club courts still looked in pristine condition even after we had played on them all week and it emphasised why Head Grounds man Eddie Seward has said that in 2012 despite a short time between the Championships and the Olympics the courts ‘will be fine and ready’ for HSBC Road To Wimbledon.

Tim and Dan hosted an action packed clinic for 30 juniors made up of the players who had not quite made the National Finals but reached the County Finals stages and others still here to enjoy Wimbledon having played the National Finals.

A video of the day was taken and will be coming out in a few weeks and competitors will receive a DVD of the event and the finals day activities.

The boy’s and girls’ singles were both won by the original top seeds Freya Christie of Nottinghamshire and Chris Morrow of Gloucestershire. Freya beating Daniella Silva, and Chris beating Giles Waterson.

The Consolation singles winners were Emma Hurst beating Bethany Eccles and Jonathan Tingey getting the better of Ryan Bates.

In the girls’ doubles Gabrielle Paul and Sarah Wray just won 12-10 in the third set tie break against Freya Christie and Corinne Blythe and in the boy’s doubles Andrew Atkinson and Ross Mackenzie triumphed over Lucas Taylor and Luke Simeone.

So a truly memorable week for everyone involved.

HSBC Head of Corporate Banking Stuart Grant paid tribute to all the parents and juniors who had played the event. Philip Brook the Vice Chairman of the All England Club shared his appreciation of the standard, enthusiasm and commitment of the competitors and how much the All England Club wish to support the event.

I asked James Marsalek to join the VIP presentation as the 2006 past winner and it was good to see him with Tim Henman, Julian Tatum and John Barrett also at the trophy presentations.

James is now a full time professional player and it was good for the juniors to know that as the 2009 National 18 & under Champion he was now going off to play in the Canadian and US Open event.

I also spoke of how good it was that another form player and past winner of the HSBC Road To Wimbledon Tom Farqharson had won the junior doubles event in the recent Wimbledon Championships with his partner and another great future prospect Liam Broady.

So I have come to the end of my blogs and have to say it was really enjoyable organising the event all year.

A terrific appreciation to the LTA for their support and all the county offices and county organisers who have helped and all the HSBC Road To Wimbledon club and school organisers who ran the nearly 1000 local tournaments at stage 1 of the journey that all the finalists have been involved in this week at Wimbledon.

It really is a ‘Road To Wimbledon’ and we will shortly sit down and plan improvements for 2011 with all the different people involved.

and finally……..

Well done to all the competitors who have played in the 2010 event. You were the ones that made it a success and continued success in your careers.