Last Thursday, Ivybridge Tennis Club organised their first evening of Touchtennis on the indoor courts at the South Devon Tennis Centre.
An attractive and fast growing alternative to the mainstream game, the key to Touchtennis lies not in manipulating the ball with raw power but rather with deft stroke-play and chess-like manoeuvres.
Played on a much-reduced court with foam balls and 21-inch kids racquets, its carefully calibrated regulations aim to level the playing field for competitors by fostering long, intense rallies and clever angle play.
Brilliant fun for all ages, the game is particularly attractive to beginners and less experienced tennis players looking to improve their hand-eye co-ordination. It also provides an excellent introduction to playing the traditional game.
However, there is also a burgeoning Touchtennis circuit which has already attracted the attention of former Wimbledon champions, well-known commentators and noteworthy young talents who compete feverishly for ranking points and cash prizes. Ivybridge Tennis Club will be holding a tournament for the national circuit on November 5.
At the inaugural event last week, arranged by Sam Wilson and director of tennis Paul Butcher, 44 players aged between seven and over 60 took part and all thoroughly enjoyed their introduction to a new sport.
As the summer leagues draw to a close, Ivybridge Tennis Club is also celebrating a successful season in the matches against other clubs in the region.
In all 11 teams have been fielded, seven in the Plymouth and District League and four in the South Devon League. In the P and D League the highlights were the ladies’ A team, captained by Verity Holdsworth, retaining their title by winning division one, and the Mixed Knockout Cup being won, with Ivybridge being represented by James Sexton, Kate Absalom, Rhys Dunford and Annie Haigh in their win in the final against Mannamead.
The men’s D team also won division six. There are still a few matches to play in the South Devon League and therefore the final tables are awaited.