As Tournament Director I would like to provide the entry details for the 2013 HSBC Road to Wimbledon 14 & under Challenge.

The All England Club, HSBC and the Lawn Tennis Association all look forward to another successful tournament and thank you for your hard work and support.

A reminder to you that the closing date for Stage 1 venues is 31st January 2013.

The online entry form needs to be submitted by clubs/parks or schools and not by individual players, parents, or coaches, as the club or school need to firstly agree to run a Road to Wimbledon event for their 14 & under juniors.

Entry brochures will have been distributed to relevant clubs and schools via their county office from mid-November and this must be completed by 31st January.

This wonderful event began in 2002 and is open to all clubs and schools as well as local parks and tennis facilities throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

There are a lot of details of the event with photo galleries and information on past National Finals and our former champions, here on the official website http://www.hsbcroadtowimbledon.com.

There is also a list of County Organisers attached to the entry form pdf on the top left of the home page which provide the contact details if anyone would like more information on hosting a Stage 1 competition.

I do hope you will read the entry details and give the opportunity for your young players to progress through to the County Finals, and National Finals, played on the world famous grass at Wimbledon 12-17 August 2013.

Organising a Road to Wimbledon local tournament at your courts will go a long way to encourage competition at the grass roots level in a social and fun way with the unique opportunity to progress to play at Wimbledon – the home of The Championships.

Paul Hutchins

Tournament Director

HSBC Road to Wimbledon

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Official HSBC film page http://www.sparkymediaproductions.com/wimbledon/

The HSBC Road to Wimbledon 2012 started in April with the clubs and
schools events taking place all across Great Britain. By the end of
July, all the County Finalists and runners-up had earned their places
at the national finals by qualifying through the initial two stages of
competition.

Tournament Director Paul Hutchins along with ITF referees Denise
Parnell and Peter Finn orchestrated the completion of over 140 group
stage matches during the first two days of the competition, having to
contest with just a few rain delays, all matches were completed in
time for the player’s party on Tuesday evening.

Next it was on to the knockout competitions, four singles, and 2
doubles draws, played over the remaining four days decided the winners
of the 2012 HSBC Road to Wimbledon 14 & under national challenge after
a week of exceptional junior lawn tennis.

This year, Warwickshire was the home county of the boys’ singles
champion, Luke Hammond, 13, who is already taller than our Tournament
Ambassador Tim Henman and showing he could be a great grass court
player. With a year to go in the 14 & under age group Luke already has
his sights set on attempting to defend his title in 2013.

Hertfordshire gave us the girls’ singles champion, Emily Arbuthnott,
14, who trains at Batchwood Tennis Centre, a club suffered greatly
recently having its indoor facilities destroyed in a fire 12 months
ago.

Emily will be remembered as only the third girl to have won both the
singles and doubles event in the tournaments history. After winning
the singles, she partnered singles runner-up from Yorkshire, Holly
Horsfall, 14, to scoop both titles adding to an already memorable week
of tennis.

James Davis, 13, of Kent and Piers Foley, 14, of Berkshire were
crowned boys’ doubles champions denying Luke Hammond the clean sweep
of titles who with his talented team mate Barnaby Smith of
Buckinghamshire will have to settle for the runner-up trophies.

The consolation draws give the players who came third and fourth in
the group stages a chance to enjoy more competitive experience, and
East of Scotland’s Heather Croll, who just turned 13, won the girls
consolation singles and like Luke could be back next year.

Lancashire’s Robert Edwards triumphed in the boys’ consolation singles
and like all the champions had his Waterford crystal tennis ball
presented by Tim Henman and John Barrett.

“This has been a great week for HSBC Road to Wimbledon here at the
Bank of England sports Ground, Roehampton, where every year they play
the Wimbledon qualifier competition, the tournament is here because of
the Olympics at The All England Club. I’d like to thank the clubs ,
schools and Counties for their cooperation in getting the first two
stages completed, and I’d like to thank Tim Henman for his support
along with Dan Bloxham of the WJTI for running the clinic, and John
Barrett who came up with the vision for this national competition over
ten years ago.”

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Alex Broadway – Red Photography

A delightful Saturday greeted the finalists of HSBC Road to Wimbledon 2012, and with Tim Henman in attendance it was the perfect day for lawn tennis.

After an epic second set, Luke Hammond of Warwickshire triumphed over Kent’s James Davis 6-2, 7-6(7)to be crowned boys singles champion, and on the adjacent court, it was the unswerving number one seed Emily Arbuthnott who overcame Yorkshire’s Holly Horsfall 6-4, 6-1.

Hammond said at the trophy presentation “It feels really good to be the boys champion. I played really well today, stuck to the game plan and even though the second set was really close against James Davis I still managed to do it. Feels good also to be a runner-up in the doubles, I’m definitely going to come back to HSBC Road to Wimbledon next year.”

Hertfordshire’s first Road to Wimbledon girls’ champion Emily Arbuthnott said, “It’s amazing to have won HSBC Road to Wimbledon, I’m really very happy. It was a tough final but I’m so glad I came through it in the end. The whole week has been fantastic, the weather has been really nice and there has been a great atmosphere all week.”

In the consolation finals Robert Edwards of Lancashire defeated Benjamin Battey from Dorset 6-2, 7-5. And the girls’ consolation winner from the East of Scotland, Heather Croll prevailed 6-4, 7-5 over Kate Clayson of Northamptonshire.

The doubles were contested in the sweltering midday heat. And in the girls’ doubles Emily Arbuthnott completed the clean sweep of trophies partnering with Holly Horsfall to win 6-4, 6-2 over Sophia Haine of Dorset and Holly Hutchinson of Buckinghamshire.

James Davis, runner up in the boys’ singles partnered Piers Foley to win the boy’s doubles trophy to deny 6-1, 6-2 Luke Hammond and Barnaby Smith.

HSBC Road to Wimbledon reached its conclusion with the trophy presentation with Tim Henman, John Barrett of the All England Club, and Paul Hutchins Tournament Director signing off an inspirational week of junior tennis.

Luke Hammond of Warwickshire

The prestigious HSBC Road to Wimbledon semi-finals day at The Bank of England Sports Centre started off with an explosive display of big serving and bigger forehands from fourth seed Luke Hammond of Warwickshire. A National Throws champion at 10 years old and a fast bowler for Somerset County highlights his incredible hand-eye coordination that has helped him on the quick grass courts this week at HSBC Road to Wimbledon that has seen him through to the final with an emphatic 6-0, 6-0 victory over Lucas Percy of Kent. After reaching the singles and doubles final Luke said “It’s great to have made the final of the singles and doubles. I felt I was hitting the ball really well today. My game is suited to grass so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

James Davis of Kent

Hammond will face James Davis of Kent in the final after the third seed was forced to use every ounce of energy in his body to overcome unseeded Buckinghamshire boy Barnaby Smith 7-6(7), 4-6, 7-5. After the match Davis said “It is such a good achievement to be playing in the HSBC Road to Wimbledon final. A lot of hard work has gone in to getting here. It will be the first time that we will be playing each other but I’m playing well on grass having won Eastbourne last week and in tomorrows final.”

Emily Arbuthnott of Hertfordshire

Number one seed Emily Arbuthnott faced a tough test against fourth seed Sophie Haine from Dorset, rallying from 5-3 down to take the opening set she powered her way to a 7-5, 6-2 victory. After the match she said “I’m very happy to be in the final, I am really enjoying playing here at HSBC Road to Wimbledon. I was a little nervous at the start and then began to play more aggressively and the match started going my way. I’ve played on grass before at my club in Harpenden so I feel comfortable on these amazing courts.”

Holly Horsfall of Yorkshire

Joining Emily in the final will be Holly Horsfall of Yorkshire who becomes the second player from Yorkshire to reach the girls final in consecutive years. The Holmfirth girl defeated the number two seed Holly Hutchinson 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and said after the final “I am very happy to have won my semi-final. I started nervous but managed to improve for the start of the second set. It will be the first myself and Emily will be playing on grass, i really like Wimbledon so hopefully I can do well tomorrow.”

Thursday featured two rounds of highly competitive singles in the main draw and consolation draw. For those who won their first match they were into the quarter-finals and would later do battle for a place in the last four.

It was the number one seed in the boys’ singles, Piers Foley, that became the first major casualty of the day losing to unseeded Barnaby Smith of Buckinghamshire, who also defeated seventh ranked Jack Burkill to reach the semi-finals.

Luke Hammond and James Davis were the only two players to have reached the semi-finals without dropping sets making the third and fourth seeds the ones to beat, as they are showing great grass court form and elevate themselves to serious contenders for reaching the final.

Lucas Percy of Kent completes the final four after overcoming Jamie Oakes in a tense three setter and then defeating unseedewd Hampshire boy William Coward 6-2, 6-2.

The girls top four seeds continued their ascent to the latter stages, top seed Emily Arbuthnott eased to the semi-finals and will now face fourth seed Sophia Haine, while second seed Holly Hutchinson will meet Holly Horsfall the third seed of Yorkshire for a place in Saturday’s final.

All the competitors today have played incredible tennis this week on the Roehampton grass at HSBC Road to Wimbledon. With the singles and doubles trophies within sight for those still left we now approach the business end of HSBC Road to Wimbledon 2012.

Day 3 is affectionately known as ‘Knockout Wednesday.’ Today, it started out more like ‘Washout Wednesday’ as prolonged rain ended play in the morning and a few showers coupled with cool windy conditions threatened to hamper the schedule, but the show went on.

Tournament director Paul Hutchins had kindly organised a visit to the player’s lounge by the Wimbledon Museum staff, and they managed to fill the gap in play allowing the courts to dry up while the competitors kept entertained with a fun, interactive and informative presentation about Wimbledon’s rich history.

By the end of play 21 Counties were still represented in the boy’s and girl’s main draw singles with Kent, Staffordshire and Sussex leading the way with 2 boy’s and 1 girl representing their Counties and still going strong at HSBC Road to Wimbledon and still in with a chance of winning the title on Saturday.

Out of all the top seeds only one would not be present in Round 2 and that was Northamptonshire’s second seed Joe Tyler who retired due to illness.

Tomorrow the boys and girls will be competing in two rounds of matches, and a doubles match for those still in both events, and by Thursday evening we should be down to the last four in all four singles tournaments.

The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum came to The Road to Wimbledon during a brief spell of rain on Day 3.

Tuesday ended on time for the Road to Wimbledon with the group stage matches completed and the start of the first round of the doubles draws.

The top seeds progressed safely through to the knock-out stages, the girls’ singles first seed Emily Arbuthnott of Hertfordshire is continuing her winning run that has seen her take five consecutive titles in her last five tournaments.

On her way to the Winchester 16&U title Arbuthnott defeated one of her rivals and second seed Holly Hutchinson of Buckinghamshire, last year’s quarter-finalist, in straight sets.

Holly Horsfall is Yorkshire’s top player in the draw, and will be looking to go one better than Olivia Noble, last year’s runner-up from Yorkshire.

Horsfall had an interesting taster of what’s to come in the latter stages while at Gerrards Cross 16&U tournament, where she faced the 2011 Road to Wimbledon girls’ singles champion Hannah Brett from Berkshire, losing 3-6, 1-6 in the semi-finals.

In the boys’ singles, Berkshire’s Piers Foley arrives at the National Finals with good preparations having won the 91st Bournemouth Open with victories over Road to Wimbledon’s second seed Joe Tyler and the fourth seed James Davis.

Warwickshire’s Luke Hammond, seeded third, is in good form, winning a 14&U title while in Suffolk last week.

An unexpected bonus for everyone at The Bank of England Sports Centre occured on Tuesday afternoon when the Road to Wimbledon competitors were invited by the Team GB Paralympic coaches and players to watch a training session at the National Tennis Centre and did not hesitate to rush over and show their support for world No.4 quad player Andy Lapthorne, world No.12 Jordanne Whiley and Harrow-born Marc McCarroll, world No.21 wheelchair athlete.

Tuesday evening was also when the players got together to enjoy a fun night out at the Road to Wimbledon Player’s Party.

Wednesday is the start of the knock-out competition including a consolation draw for the third and fourth players in the groups. The knock-out draw will run until Saturday, when Tim Henman will run a tennis clinic and present the trophies.