Latest news with #TennisScotland
The Herald Scotland
03-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Judy Murray leads tributes after death of 'Scottish tennis legend'
Watt also represented Scotland on the international stage and played for Great Britain at the ITF World Team Championships in Spain in 2009 before being diagnosed with incurable frontal lobe dementia two years later. Read More: Despite the condition, he continued to play tennis at a high level and added more titles to his collection – including the Scottish Senior Championships 40 & Over singles title as part of the ITF Masters Tour. His death, at the age of 56, was announced on Wednesday. Judy Murray said on social media: "A Scottish tennis legend. Gone but not forgotten." Blane Dodds, the chief executive of Tennis Scotland, was a close friend of Malky and said: 'I think I speak for us all, that if your path crossed with Malky you would remember not only his talent as a tennis player and athlete, you would also remember his extremely kind and big heart, his selflessness and his unique sense of fun. "Whether you played tennis with Malky, or travelled to tournaments, or just spent time apres tennis, we all remember how he made the experience better, and we all remember laughing with Malky. "Malky had such a significant impact on Scottish tennis as a player and coach, but it was his sense of making everything better and more enjoyable that we will all miss the most." "The thoughts of everyone at Tennis Scotland are with Malky's family, including his parents Tommy and Pam, his brother Stuart, sister Shona and his son Leo."
BBC News
24-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
£1m investment to 'give every Scottish child access to tennis'
A fresh £1m investment in tennis in Scottish schools aims to give every child the opportunity to try the sport for free as national bodies continue to work towards creating "a tennis centre of national significance".A £20m project, led by Sir Andy Murray's mother, Judy, to build a community multi-sport facility at Park of Keir was scrapped last year over planning issues and rising costs following local opposition to building on green belt the Lawn Tennis Association, Tennis Scotland, sportscotland and the Scottish Government aim to capitalise on what they say is "growing participation in Scotland" and "recognise the inspirational achievements" of the now retired Murray along with brother Jamie, Jacob Fearnley, Cameron Norrie, Maia Lumsden and Gordon Reid. The new funding, roughly equivalent to Tennis Scotland's entire annual budget, aims to increase the presence of LTA Youth Schools - the association's junior programme - in Scottish schools, with the current rate just over will be offered a package of support to pay for teacher training, equipment, and access to coaching."Meanwhile, all parties remain committed to working on securing the future for a tennis centre of national significance for Scotland and are continuing to discuss options for this," they Scotland Blane Dodds says the latest investment aims to give "every child in Scotland the opportunity to pick up a racket and try tennis"."Our participation figures show that there is a massive appetite for tennis in Scotland and this funding will help recognise the inspirational successes of many Scottish players on the global stage in recent years," he 280,000 children currently play tennis in Scotland every year - 40% of the population - with about half being girls, but 45% of children who have not played tennis before say they would like is estimated that, UK wide, 3.9m children (aged 4-15) play tennis, an increase of 6% from 2024, while 1.6m are playing each month - an increase of 8% during the past 12 months.
South Wales Argus
15-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Sena Akpo-Young recognised at Tennis Black List Awards
Sena Akpo-Young, 30, started his coaching journey by mentoring his younger brother and was soon noticed by a coach working at his local tennis centre, setting the stage for a coaching career that includes stints with Tennis Scotland, Glasgow Tennis Academy, Glasgow City Council and Broomhill Tennis Club. He currently works as one of the lead coaches at Hillhead Tennis Club, working with both club players and performance players, and he has now been rewarded for his efforts with the Coaching and Performance award at this year's edition of the Tennis Black List, presented in association with Dante Talent and held during the HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club, London on the 11th of June, supported by the LTA. 'It's an amazing honour to be here,' said Akpo-Young. 'Coming from a mixed-race heritage, there are a lot of barriers in coaching and getting players involved. 'You go to tournaments and clubs and you're always the only black or mixed person in the community so awards like this are great in inspiring others to get involved not only in coaching but tennis in general and that's the main thing. 'It was actually a black coach in Glasgow who said that we were decent in tennis, so we started off in tournaments and I got into coaching because my brother needed a coach on the court and I was there to help him out and I ended up in coaching. 'It's really important to have awards like this that help make people feel comfortable to pursue coaching and playing so they can feel like they can take on anything in tennis and break barriers.' Tennis Black List is the global celebration of Black and mixed black excellence across the game — spotlighting the unsung, the visionary and the next generation of changemakers. Akpo-Young added: 'It just puts a spotlight to see how amazingly these black coaches and players are doing. I'm not one for the spotlight but it feels really good to be here. 'Events like this are going to give a lot of opportunities for fellow coaches and others to continue and take their coaching or playing to the highest level without feeling that there's anything in their way.' Founders Anne-Marie Batson and Richard Sackey Addo said: 'This movement is about legacy. Tennis Black List is creating space for Black and mixed-black heritage excellence to be seen, honoured and remembered across all areas of tennis. We are building a global legacy that makes space for what is next.' Launched in 2022; Tennis Black List is the only global platform dedicated to celebrating and documenting Black and mixed-black impact in tennis — from grassroots organisers to elite players. A movement rooted in recognition, legacy, and cultural celebration.
South Wales Guardian
15-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Sena Akpo-Young recognised at Tennis Black List Awards
Sena Akpo-Young, 30, started his coaching journey by mentoring his younger brother and was soon noticed by a coach working at his local tennis centre, setting the stage for a coaching career that includes stints with Tennis Scotland, Glasgow Tennis Academy, Glasgow City Council and Broomhill Tennis Club. He currently works as one of the lead coaches at Hillhead Tennis Club, working with both club players and performance players, and he has now been rewarded for his efforts with the Coaching and Performance award at this year's edition of the Tennis Black List, presented in association with Dante Talent and held during the HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club, London on the 11th of June, supported by the LTA. 'It's an amazing honour to be here,' said Akpo-Young. 'Coming from a mixed-race heritage, there are a lot of barriers in coaching and getting players involved. 'You go to tournaments and clubs and you're always the only black or mixed person in the community so awards like this are great in inspiring others to get involved not only in coaching but tennis in general and that's the main thing. 'It was actually a black coach in Glasgow who said that we were decent in tennis, so we started off in tournaments and I got into coaching because my brother needed a coach on the court and I was there to help him out and I ended up in coaching. 'It's really important to have awards like this that help make people feel comfortable to pursue coaching and playing so they can feel like they can take on anything in tennis and break barriers.' Tennis Black List is the global celebration of Black and mixed black excellence across the game — spotlighting the unsung, the visionary and the next generation of changemakers. Akpo-Young added: 'It just puts a spotlight to see how amazingly these black coaches and players are doing. I'm not one for the spotlight but it feels really good to be here. 'Events like this are going to give a lot of opportunities for fellow coaches and others to continue and take their coaching or playing to the highest level without feeling that there's anything in their way.' Founders Anne-Marie Batson and Richard Sackey Addo said: 'This movement is about legacy. Tennis Black List is creating space for Black and mixed-black heritage excellence to be seen, honoured and remembered across all areas of tennis. We are building a global legacy that makes space for what is next.' Launched in 2022; Tennis Black List is the only global platform dedicated to celebrating and documenting Black and mixed-black impact in tennis — from grassroots organisers to elite players. A movement rooted in recognition, legacy, and cultural celebration.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Dumfries tennis centre on course to open this year
A new indoor tennis centre in Dumfries is on course to open later this Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis (TSIT) project at the King George V sports complex has reached the halfway stage in its began in February on the three-court centre which will open towards the end of the is part of nationwide efforts to boost participation and will provide year-round access to tennis for players across Dumfries and Galloway. The £2.3m project is described as an important landmark in the ongoing efforts to improve access to the sport across will be the third indoor tennis centre built recently following sites in Edinburgh and Johnstone, who chairs Dumfries and Galloway Council's community wellbeing committee, said: "I am delighted to see the progress of the new tennis centre and look forward to it being completed."It will be a major community asset for us and will provide much-needed indoor facilities for tennis players in the region and beyond." 'A sport for everyone' Sportscotland chief executive Forbes Dunlop said it was exciting to see the progress which had been made."When it's opened the centre will be hugely significant for local tennis and the communities in Dumfries and Galloway," he Lawn Tennis Association said the project embodied its vision of ensuring tennis was "truly a sport for everyone".Blane Dodds, chief executive of Tennis Scotland, said: "This is a significant moment as we aim to continue making tennis accessible to everyone right across Scotland by providing year-round indoor facilities."The new indoor centre in Dumfries and Galloway is taking shape and we're all looking forward to seeing players get on the courts soon."
