Cambourne Village College pupil Anna Byron enjoys experience of playing at Wimbledon
Cambourne’s Anna Byron may not have lifted silverware last week on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon – but she still enjoyed an unforgettable experience at SW19.
Byron, 14, who attends Cambourne Village College, featured in the national finals at the Play Your Way to Wimbledon event, which is 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 this year, leading to county and regional finals in June and July, with the winners progressing to the national finals on Wimbledon’s Aorangi Courts last week.
Byron, who described Emma Raducanu as her tennis idol, failed to progress to the latter stages of the tournament, but she was still pleased to attend Wimbledon and revealed it was an experience she will never forget.
She said: “It’s a lifetime achievement. It means the world to me to play here, it’s amazing. I’ve been playing since I was six.
“I think about professionals who have played here and it makes me want to play like a professional.
“It’s really pretty here, the people are really nice and the facilities are so good. I’ve tried my best in the competition and that’s all I can do.”
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.
Formerly known as the Road to Wimbledon, the competition is supported by Vodafone in partnership with the LTA and the All England Club, as a collective commitment to support grassroots tennis in the UK.
This year’s event was the largest finals in the competition’s history, adding a junior wheelchair pathway, plus exhibitions of para standing and deaf tennis.
The 2023 competition saw record participation as the event opened up to more players, with the introduction of qualifying rounds for three disability categories split between Visual Impairment, Learning Disability and Wheelchair tennis, as well as an Adult Doubles pathway.
Former British number one and Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman was in attendance to cheer on the players at SW19 and offer his experience and advice.
He 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.”
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.
