Newcastle tennis player David Deas enjoyed an unforgettable experience at SW19 this week, reaching the final of the men’s visually impaired B2 event.
Deas, 61, trains at the North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club, and was one of four Newcastle tennis players who competed on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon.
Isabella Sharp, Henry Hardy and Tom Richardson also featured in the national finals at Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, which is Britain’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition and is delivered in partnership with the LTA and the All England Club.
Thousands of 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.
“This is one of the pinnacles of the year,” said Deas, the men’s visually impaired B2 finalist. “It's one of the things that all the players aim to get into."
Sharp, 13, did not make it to the final of the 14&U girls’ singles tournament - but was still thrilled to attend Wimbledon and revealed it was an experience she will never forget.
“I’d played on grass before but it wasn’t very well maintained, so I was excited to get onto the Wimbledon grass,” said Sharp, who plays at The Northumberland Club and attends Newcastle High School for girls.
Cullercoats Lawn Tennis Club player Hardy, 13, competed in the 14&U boys’ singles.
“I qualified for this event by winning at my own club and then winning the tournament at the Northumbria Club,” said Hardy, who attends the Royal Grammar School Newcastle. “I was really happy because I didn’t get through last year, so that made it even better this year.”
In the men’s doubles, Newcastle’s Jacob Beard competed alongside his University of Bristol teammate William Edlin.
And there was more Newcastle representation in the 18&U boys’ doubles, as Tom Richardson partnered with Yarm’s Toby Flight.
“I was here last year for the doubles as well,” said Richardson. “It's an amazing opportunity to be able to play here, especially on the courts that many professionals have played on.”
The event, which took place between 2-8 August, offers recreational tennis players of all ages and abilities the opportunity to compete on Wimbledon’s acclaimed grass courts, less than a month after The Championships. In addition, participants received a tour of the Grounds and enjoyed a taste of what it is like competing at Wimbledon, observing the all-white dress code and using the official player facilities.
Last year saw over 11,000 players taking part in the competition, with more than 780 venues hosting the initial stages and 340 players reaching the national finals.
This year’s Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, and supported by the All England Club and the LTA, hosted 14U Junior Singles, 18U Junior Doubles, 19+ Adult Doubles, Wheelchair Adult and Junior, Learning Disability and Visually Impaired categories, plus Para Standing and Deaf competitions – newly formalised categories for 2026.
A coaching clinic for 14&U players was also conducted by Head Coach of the All England Club, Dan Bloxham.
Play Your Way to Wimbledon encourages tennis enthusiasts of all levels to pick up a racket and get involved in the sport. Participants begin by competing locally at their club, park or school before progressing to county and/or area finals and eventually reaching the national finals at Wimbledon.
Jamie Baker, Associate Director of Professional Tennis and Tournament Director of The Championships, Wimbledon said: "In partnership with Vodafone and the LTA, we are delighted to open up Play Your Way to Wimbledon to even more players with the addition of para-standing and deaf competitions.
“For many of these players, competing on Wimbledon’s grass courts will be their first experience on the surface. We hope this competition continues to inspire players of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to discover the fun and benefits of tennis."
Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, is the UK’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition. It is part of Vodafone’s ongoing commitment as Official Connectivity Partner to The Championships, to connect more people with the sports and events they love, while supporting grassroots tennis and making the sport more accessible to players of all ages and abilities.
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