A courtside experience to remember at the Lexus Eastbourne Open
• 4 minute read
A sunny day at the Lexus Eastbourne Open provided a once-in-a-lifetime experience for young people supported by LTA Tennis Foundation funded partner, the Tim Henman Foundation.
A group of participants from a Tim Henman Foundation disability tennis session, delivered by MDL Coaching, headed to the south coast to take part in a special fan day, where attendees could donate £4 to LTA Tennis Foundation in exchange for access to watch open practice sessions.
The group enjoyed an unforgettable courtside experience on Centre Court, sitting alongside players and their teams, watching world-class tennis up close as they prepared for the tournament.
The Tim Henman Foundation is a charity dedicated to creating opportunities that support and inspire children and young people to reach their potential. Through sport and education programmes, the charity focuses particularly on those with special educational needs and disabilities, as well as young people from low-income backgrounds. The young people attending regularly take part in Friday night disability sessions delivered by Mark and his team at MDL Coaching.
Meet the participants
Among the group were Arlo, Matilda, Matteo and Alfie - each at a different stage of their tennis journey, but all sharing a love of the game and the community around it.
For Arlo, who has been attending sessions since 2022, tennis has become the highlight of his week - helping him build confidence, communication skills and a strong sense of independence, while forming friendships and enjoying being active outdoors.
Matilda, who has been playing for nearly a year, loves learning new skills and seeing her progress, as well as the fun and social side of the sessions.
For Matteo, tennis has been key to staying active and meeting new people over the past two and a half years, helping him feel fitter and more confident.
Meanwhile, Alfie, who has been playing for around four years, thrives on the opportunity to be active and challenge himself, recently enjoying a full-day tennis camp where he made new friends and played throughout the day. The support he receives through the sessions continues to build his confidence and help him develop his game.
During the visit, which was hosted by former British No.1 Naomi Broady, the group met WTA players Madison Keys and Jasmine Paolini, and ATP players Gabriel Diallo and Juan Manuel Cerundolo. As well as walking out on to Centre Court with them and their teams, they were also able to sit courtside while the players practised, experiencing the speed, skill and intensity of professional tennis from just metres away.
During the changeover between the WTA and ATP sessions, the group also took part in a fun ‘Golden Shot’ challenge, where they each had five balls to score as many points as possible, adding to an already unforgettable day.
Matteo said, “For me, it was so special, it was once in a lifetime experience, I feel like I am a VIP or something like that”. When asked what his favourite part was, he added, “Oh, everything, there is no favourite bit or worst bit.”
It was a real privilege and honour to be invited to take part in this experience and to bring a group of our players with us, who all have special needs – what a special experience. It's an incredible memory, not just for them, but for the whole family who were able to come and support them.
Whilst sitting courtside, Alfie experienced one of the day’s standout moments when Gabriel Diallo’s coach asked for his thoughts on what the player should do next, giving him a unique chance to engage directly with the professional game. He said, “It feels like you are the actual player doing it as you are so close. My favourite bit was when the coach said to me, what do you think he should do next and I said he has to move about more!”
Experiences like this highlight the importance of creating accessible and inclusive opportunities in tennis. Through partnerships with organisations like the Tim Henman Foundation, the LTA Tennis Foundation continues to support programmes that break down barriers and open up the sport to more young people, ensuring they not only play tennis, but truly feel part of it.
Mark, from MDL Coaching, said, “It was a real privilege and honour to be invited to take part in this experience and to bring a group of our players with us, who all have special needs – what a special experience. Just to sit on Centre Court here at Eastbourne is so special, not many people get to do that, and to share that experience with our players was brilliant.
"The pros were so friendly and so engaging with the children – it was lovely. It's an incredible memory, not just for them, but for the whole family who were able to come and support them. I hope it is something they remember and that it inspires them to play more tennis.”
Tom Gibbins, Head of Development for LTA Tennis Foundation, said, “This is what it’s all about - giving young people the chance to feel truly part of the sport. Through partnerships like this, we’re helping to create inclusive opportunities that inspire confidence, break down barriers and ultimately improve lives.”
