Doubles partners reach All England Club
A men’s doubles pair battled their way to the final stages of a national competition which offered them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play on the hallowed turf of Wimbledon.
Alex Hills, from Worcester, and George Carroll, from Kidderminster, entered the prestigious Play Your Way To Wimbledon tournament – the UK’s biggest tennis competition in terms of entrant numbers – back in May.
The competition, formerly known as the Road to Wimbledon, sees thousands of players competing across a range of categories for the chance to play on the world-famous grass courts of Wimbledon.
Alex, 27, and George, 25, were representing Worcester Lawn Tennis Club and entered the men’s doubles section. After winning their area and county stages, they were invited to the final rounds of the competition held at Wimbledon’s Aorangi courts last week.
The pair won their group on Wednesday and the quarter final on Thursday, which took them through to the semi-final stage on Friday.
Their early good form deserted them, however, and they were defeated by a pair from South Wales.
While both players were disappointed not to make the final, each agreed it had been a great experience
“Not many players get the chance to play at Wimbledon, so it was well worth investing in all the white gear to get the chance to play there,” said George.
“It was great to be able to play on the same courts used by the likes of Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz while they are practising for Wimbledon. I’ve never really played on grass before this tournament and I was surprised how much I enjoyed the surface.
“We got to use the players’ lounge and everybody treated us really well. It was a great experience.”
