Pupils enjoyed taking part in the Tennis Marathon in support of Bright Ideas for Tennis, culminating in an exclusive masterclass at School.
During the February half-term break, eight of Charterhouse’s leading tennis players took part in a remarkable 24-hour Tennis Marathon at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, raising funds for the charity Bright Ideas for Tennis.
I was so inspired even just watching from the stands!
Cheekay Chow Yuen, Current Parent
Bright Ideas for Tennis works to ensure that people with a wide range of disabilities have the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from playing tennis. As part of the event, the Carthusians each played for four hours, experiencing first-hand some of the challenges faced by disabled athletes. They competed in wheelchairs, wore vision-restricting goggles, and also had the opportunity to share the court with current and former ATP and WTA professionals.
The Charterhouse team raised an impressive £7,000, contributing towards the event’s overall total of more than £80,000 for the charity.
An experience which will live long in the memory.
JAmes Silvester, Head of Tennis
In recognition of their efforts, the players were rewarded with a masterclass led by former ATP Tour professional and Davis Cup player Danny Sapsford, alongside former British No. 1 and Davis Cup champion Kyle Edmund. Although the session was disrupted by an afternoon of thunder, lightning and torrential rain, the weather proved to be a blessing in disguise, allowing for an extended question-and-answer session.
Our pupils took full advantage of the opportunity, quizzing Kyle about some of the highlights of his career, including defeating Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells, overcoming Grigor Dimitrov on his way to the Australian Open semi-finals, and lifting the Davis Cup with Great Britain. There was no shortage of thoughtful questions before the rain eased and everyone returned to the courts for a highly engaging doubles masterclass, focusing on tactics, positioning and interception skills.
Danny and Kyle were both incredibly generous with their time and expertise, inspiring all of our players. The session left everyone energised and enthusiastic about their tennis.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who supported the team through sponsorship and donations. Your generosity helped raise a significant sum for a wonderful cause and will help make tennis accessible to many more people in the future.
