12-year-old gets opportunity to compete in tennis competition at Wimbledon

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Caerphilly’s Isabella Lieve Morgan may not have lifted silverware this week on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon – but she still enjoyed an unforgettable experience at SW19.

Isabella, 12, featured in the national finals at the Play Your Way to Wimbledon event, the largest individual mass participation tennis competition in the UK.

Thousands of under-14s and under-18s 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.

Isabella failed to reach the latter stages but was still thrilled to attend Wimbledon – an experience she will never forget.

She said: “I didn’t play so well but I got through it at the end. I haven’t had much experience playing on grass beforebut I’ve learnt to bend my legs a bit more as the ball goes a lot lower.

“It’s really good to play at Wimbledon. I’ve watched Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz closely and really admire them both.”

The competition looks to inspire the next generation of tennis talent; allowing junior players 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 launched in March and is delivered in partnership by the LTA, The All England Lawn Tennis Club, and Vodafone.

This year’s tournament will deliver more than 10,000 playing opportunities across singles and doubles competitions in 800 venues.

From 2023, the LTA and The All England Lawn Tennis Club are planning for the competition to expand further, through the introduction of additional age groups and disability categories, while helping to encourage more kids to pick up a tennis racket.

Former British number one Laura Robson was in attendance to cheer on the youngsters at SW19 and offer her experience and advice.

She said: “It’s just so cool to get the chance to play on these courts at Wimbledon. I still get a buzz every time I walk out there, so I can’t imagine how they’re feeling.

“Growing the game involves letting people enjoy themselves on court and letting themselves have as much fun as possible so they want to come back and do it all over again next year.”

Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, is the UK’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition, giving players an opportunity to follow in their heroes’ footsteps and compete at Wimbledon.

The All England Club and LTA are proud to partner with Vodafone to expand the competition to more players in 2023 with an Adult Doubles pathway, alongside Visual Impairment, Learning Disability and Wheelchair tennis categories.