Club aiming to continue legacy
GRASSROOTS sport has always been the fertile launch pad for many stars, whether it’s football, rugby or indeed tennis.
One such venue is Llanelli Tennis and Squash Club (LTSC) which has opened its courts to non-members for the first time in over 100 years.
The newly-renovated club, located off Denham Avenue, plans to develop tennis as a sport for all.
The club’s head coach, Adelheid Vansteenskiste said that tennis is a sport for all ages - the club has an 85 year-old member who played up until he was 80.
She said: “Anyone can play tennis from as young as three, to our oldest member Viv Thomas, who is 85 years old and still played right up until he was 80”, which she argued “is more achievable than with team sports like rugby and football”.
Viv and his partner John Jones won the Welsh more than 40 doubles titles in their heyday.
LTSC has also paved a path to Wimbledon for one member and who knows how many more Llanelli Wimbledon wonders are waiting in the wings.
Mexican-born professional tennis player Evan Hoyt was coached at the club and reached Wimbledon’s mixed-doubles quarter-finals in 2019.
His dad Tom is the vice-chairman on the committee and joined the club in 1998 after moving to Llanelli. Evan attended Llanelli’s Ysgol Dewi Sant and represented the school in early competitions.
It was on a visit to Wimbledon after winning the All Wales’ Championship as part of the Dyfed team that his fate was sealed and he became an enthusiastic tennis protege, constantly practising with his dad on a makeshift court in the lane behind their home.
Evan spent most of his young life representing not only the Llanelli district but also Wales, going on to win a scholarship to the prestigious Reed’s Tennis School which he attended from the age of 12 to 18.
He was among the top five players in Britain from the age of 11 when he started competing in ITF (International Tennis Federation) junior international tournaments and became number one in Great Britain and number two in Europe at the age of 14.
His dad Tom said: “Evan and his team won the Junior Davis Cup at the age of 16, which to date, is the only time that Great Britain has ever won it.”
Evan continued to win competitions all around the world when he turned professional at the age of 18.
His latest win was in September last year at the M25 Sintra 2021 Tennis Tournament with doubles partner Dan Added of France.
The 27-year-old recently announced he is taking a break from tennis competition to overcome injuries that have interrupted his career and while he has no immediate plans to return to the professional tour once back to full fitness, he could one day return to the circuit, particularly the doubles tour.
Head coach at LTSC Adelheid Vansteenskiste teaches all ages and more information can be found at the Facebook page Tennis Smashers at Llanelli.
The skills taught can be carried forward to other sports as they are consistent with sport in general such as footwork, hand eye coordination and lots of throwing and catching.
She said: “Once you learn tennis, it is a skill you have for life.”
There are many youngsters who attend classes at LTSC, two of which are on the ‘national pathway’ which, according to Adelheid, means they have been “identified as hardworking and skilful young players who have the potential to progress”. They both play national tournaments all around the UK.
For budding Andy Murrays or Emma Raducanus of the future there are development programmes available at LTSC. For more information visit the club website at https://clubspark.lta. org.uk/llanellitsc.