Rye Lawn Tennis Club’s (LTC) 95th annual invitation tournament, from Friday, August 4 to Monday, August 7, once again kicks off ten days of competitive tennis on the club’s superb grass courts on the banks of the river Rother. This year sees an entry of almost 200 participants, including players from the USA, France, Romania, Serbia and Croatia as well as a strong field from all corners of the UK.
In the men’s singles line-up, with last year’s winner Matt Brooklyn not returning to defend his title, it could be third time lucky for nineteen-year-old Thomas Drayton, twice runner-up in closely contested finals against Brooklyn. He will, however, face some tough opposition, including Camden Hill’s Dusan Miljevic and Henry Moore, Camden Hill and Norfolk county player Tom Lamming, Oxfordshire’s Tom Dyakowski, two-times Rye semi-finalist Max McAlister and world rackets champion Alexander Titchener-Barrett, as well as many other top players from the Queen’s Club, Hurlingham, All England Club, Putney, Dulwich Old College, Shirley Park, Coolhurst and Rye.
In the men’s doubles, New Zealander Mark Hadley, already the winner of many Rye titles, teams up with Hurlingham’s Josh Redstone while Dusan Miljevic joins fellow club player Henry Moore to make a strong pairing. Andy Gradon and Paul Hodges will also provide some tough opposition.
In the ladies’ singles draw, Croatian former ITF player Iva Saric, who two years ago narrowly defeated last year’s winner Marine Beugre-Guyot in the final, returns to Rye to face a further challenge from Marine. Also in contention in the singles line-up are Hurlingham first team member Camille Goodman, last year’s runner-up, and previous mixed doubles finalist Alice Keddie from Camden Hill.
In the ladies’ doubles, defending champion Marine this year partners Grace Kritzinger in a strong draw, which includes Camille Goodman and her sister Ilana as well as Lauren Hewett from St Albans alongside Cumberland LTC’s Andra Marinescu.
In the mixed doubles, Iva Saric teams up with Rupert De Laszlo, Camille Goodman is playing with Timothy Goodman and Tom Lamming partners Alice Keddie. The draw also sees some newcomers to the tournament in Cirencester’s Adam Swan and Elena Holland from Tunbridge Wells as well as local Hotshotz coaches Tanya McCulley and Danny Thorne.
Rye regulars playing again this year include Richard Henman, with his son Theo and daughter Thomasina, the Acheson-Gray family, Adam Dolman, Rupert North and long-term supporters Tony, Fayleen and Charlie Billington.
The action is ongoing throughout the weekend, with the finals being contested on Monday afternoon, and members of the public are welcome to come and watch.
Hot on the heels of the invitation tournament is the two generation tournament, open to both members and non-members, on Tuesday, August 8. This is followed by the Rye junior tournament, from Wednesday to Friday, which also sees many local youngsters taking part as well as others coming to compete from further afield. The club’s closed tournament and invitation mixed doubles will be held through the weekend of 12 and 13 August.
Rye LTC’s annual programme also includes tennis matches against other leading clubs in the UK and participation in the Sussex county and Wealden leagues. The club is active in several other sports, including padel, squash, table tennis and croquet. There is a rapidly growing junior tennis section and a regular programme of coaching for adults and juniors throughout the year. A number of junior players have competed this year in the Road to Wimbledon, an LTA initiative to encourage players of 14 and under. The club also now owns the field adjoining the grass tennis courts as part of a long-term project to develop the facilities for members and to promote and improve community participation in tennis.
Image Credits: Rye LTC .