Freya Parkes plays her way to the courts of Wimbledon
Codsall’s Freya Parkes may not have lifted silverware last week on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon – but she still enjoyed an unforgettable experience at SW19.
Parkes, 14, who attends St Dominic’s Grammar School, Brewood, and plays at Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Club, featured in the national finals at the Play Your Way to Wimbledon event, powered by Vodafone – the largest individual mass participation tennis competition in the UK.
Thousands of 14 and under and 18 and under players 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.
Parkes, who described Nick Kyrgios as her tennis idol, failed to progress to the latter stages of the tournament – but was still thrilled to attend Wimbledon and revealed it was an experience she will never forget.
She said: “It’s a really good experience, it’s really nice to be with all the top players here. It’s a really nice atmosphere and a good experience on the grass.
“It’s a bit weird going from watching on TV to playing on them. I want to keep training hard to keep playing tennis.
“I like Nick Kyrgios because he’s funny to watch and Elena Rybakina is also so good to watch. It’s good to see what they do and see what you can input into your game.
“My family just want me to be the best I can be, no pressure and just enjoy the experience.”
The competition looks to inspire the next generation of tennis talent; enabling players of all ages 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 is supported by Vodafone in partnership with the LTA and the All England Club, as a collective commitment to support grassroots tennis in the UK.
This year’s event will be the largest finals in the competition’s history, adding a junior wheelchair pathway, plus exhibitions of para standing and deaf tennis.
The 2023 competition saw record participation as the event opened up to more players, with the introduction of qualifying rounds for three disability categories split between Visual Impairment, Learning Disability and Wheelchair tennis, as well as an Adult Doubles pathway.
n Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, is the UK’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition, providing recreational players of all ages and abilities the opportunity to compete at Wimbledon. The All England Club and LTA are proud to partner with Vodafone to expand the competition in 2024.
