Tavistock Tennis Club has capped off another smashing year by being named Devon LTA Club of the Year at a ceremony in Exeter last week.

After a public vote for the prestigious honour saw them nominated alongside Bideford, Exwick, Bovey Tracey and Plympton, it was the delegation from the west who were left holding the trophy.

The club will now go forward to compete in the regional award for the South and South West, and will hope to go through to the national finals this summer.

Club chair, Pete Rodgers, who attended the ceremony at the Isca Centre along with members Richard Hendin and Stuart Borthwick, said he felt it was fitting recognition following a year in which the club has gone from strength to strength.

He said: ‘I was so surprised when the Tennis Devon chairperson opened the envelope and said Tavistock, but I shouldn’t really have been as we have such an amazing team ranging from dedicated committee members and enthusiastic coaches to our members who are often willing volunteer at the drop of a tennis ball.

‘All of the other nominated clubs would have been worthy winners but we were lucky enough to be chosen. Our director of tennis, Inga Ziemina, was also nominated for coach of the year, so it was a successful night all round.”

Following a huge post-Covid uptake in tennis across the country, TTC opened its courts for disability and special needs tennis, as well as offering Ukrainian refugees free membership and coaching in the summer. Borthwick also organised a ‘tennis-athon’ which raised over £800 for Dementia UK in the summer.

Having doubled their membership to almost 500 in the past three years, the club underwent a significant development programme after securing funding, in association with Tavistock Town Council. As a result they were able to resurface four courts, bringing all eight up to high standard.

Next up is a revamp of the club’s floodlights, so play can extend beyond daylight hours, all year round.

With a flourishing junior section, sociable sessions throughout the week for players of all levels, and men’s and women’s teams competing in the Plymouth and District league, the club has come a long way a year after celebrating its centenary.

Men’s captain Ron Temperley said: ‘We’re delighted to have this recognition in what has been an exceptional year for the club. A huge increase in membership, four new courts, new floodlights on the way – and all this backed up with a dynamic and inclusive coaching programme.’