MEMBERS of Bristol Real Tennis Club are celebrating winning a national trophy for the first time.
“The Brodie Cup is THE national club knockout competition where teams are entered with players in fixed handicap ranges so opposing teams are well matched,” said the club’s chairman Nigel Harradine.
The Bristol Club, which is based at Abbots Leigh, won the Brodie Cup last month after beating the Queen’s Club of London.
“This was a great day for the club which has tried hard to make progress in the Brodie Cup every year. The recent improvement in our results and this ultimate triumph are the result of a highly commendable team effort involving a group of players at all levels and ages including our two professionals, Ben Taylor-Matthews and Ben Coleman.”
Bristol Real Tennis Club is the only club of its kind in the area. Enthusiasts who came from Bristol and Bath and did not have a ‘home court’ decided to build one at Abbots Leigh. It was officially opened by Prince Edward in 1998.
Real Tennis is an indoor sport founded in medieval France. Originally the players used their hands to hit a ball. Racquets were eventually added.