Junior players excel at Tennis Sussex County Championships

Whilst the likes of world-class tennis players such as Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff were packing their bags to leave the US Open, fans of tennis in Sussex were able to enjoy a week of top-grade sporting competition in Lewes.

Southdown Club hosted the prestigious Tennis Sussex County tournament which benefitted from the club's first-class tennis facilities and a mix of surfaces including artificial clay, hard, acrylic, and multi-purpose astro. Luckily the weather was good during the tournament, and every one of Southdown's 18 tennis courts were in use throughout the week by competitors and club members. The Championships consisted of an impressive total of 633 matches across 43 categories.

Southdown Manager, Sara Riley, said, "It was wonderful to see such great players in action, young and older, with their fans enjoying the tennis and community atmosphere here in Lewes. We're delighted to have welcomed so many regulars and visitors to the Club, and would like to thank all our staff and volunteers at Southdown for making the event a success."

The tournament culminated on Sunday 1st September with the finals of each category being played in front of official umpires and line judges appointed by the Lawn Tennis Association.

Congratulations to all the competitors who treated spectators to a week of show-stopping tennis, with special mention going to Lola Lavandera, the new 2024 Sussex County Women's Champion; and Henry Hughes, seeded 5th, who won the Men's title for the first time, both junior members of Southdown Club. Congratulations also to Katherine Rennie who beat the top two seeds to gain the U16 Girls' Singles title. The Family Cup, a popular and fun event, took place on the last day of the tournament and was won by Jared Leach and his nephew Luca.

For a full summary of winners and runners-up, visit LTA - Tennis for Britain - Tennis Sussex County Championships 2024 - In assocaition with Bedes School - Winners

The heart of County Tennis

Phil Latham, Organiser of the Tennis Sussex County Championships, said, "It was a great week of tennis in often hot and sunny conditions. It’s always nice to see some of the players playing the Open and Seniors events having played the championships as a Junior. This makes the tournament very special." He added his thanks to Bede's School for partnering with Tennis Sussex for the County Championships, and to Southdown Sports Club for hosting the event.

Tennis Sussex is responsible for the administration and development of tennis throughout Sussex. They are involved with those starting out in tennis, through to tournament players of all levels and ages, along with tennis fans. Tennis Sussex supports players, coaches, clubs, officials, organisers and volunteers by providing advice on facilities, offering grants, and assisting with general enquires.