Para standing tennis ace enjoys unforgettable Wimbledon experience

Ross Cudmore is paving the way for para standing tennis after taking to the manicured lawns of Wimbledon last week in what was an unforgettable experience at SW19.

Cudmore, 27, who lives in Hastings featured in the national finals at Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, which is the UK’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition and is delivered by Vodafone in partnership with the LTA and the All England Club.

Thousands of 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.

Cudmore, who won the world championship doubles title in 2024, was part of a para standing tennis exhibition match during the tournament and noted just how important it is to shine a light on the sport.

He said: "Para standing tennis has grown a lot in the last few years and being invited here to put on an exhibition is what it's all about.

"Everything we do in playing and coaching is helping the sport grow and so playing on a stage like this is a fantastic opportunity for exposure.

"Having so many different disability pathways here is brilliant and really allows people to understand it.

"I started playing para standing tennis two years ago and since then I've won world and European championship doubles and played in the US Open final as well as doing exhibitions here.

"The whole last couple of years have been a real blur and it's been amazing."

This year’s tournament delivered over 10,000 playing opportunities with thousands of singles and doubles players taking part at 800 venues, leading to county and area finals in June and July, with the winners progressing to the national finals on the All England Club’s Aorangi Courts from 3 – 9 August 2025.

The competition aims to broaden playing opportunities and to inspire people of all ages and abilities to play tennis and follow in the footsteps of their tennis heroes by competing for a chance to play on Wimbledon’s iconic courts.

In addition to 14 and under singles, 18 and under doubles and adult doubles draws, the categories also included wheelchair (adult and juniors), learning disability and visually impaired competitions. The national finals also saw the return of popular para-standing and deaf tennis exhibition matches held during the week.

World No.1 wheelchair doubles partners and Vodafone ambassadors Alfie Hewett OBE and Gordon Reid OBE were in attendance to cheer on the players at SW19 and offer their experience and advice.

“We would have loved to have had something like this when we were younger and playing’” said Hewett.

“Play your Way to Wimbledon is a massive event for someone to pick up a racket for the first time or start playing again if they haven’t for a while.

“It’s about being active at grassroots level, making friends and new tennis partners and that is the beauty of events like this.”

Reid added: “We want tennis to be available and accessible to everybody and get as many people as possible enjoying the sport.

“This event encapsulates that perfectly and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, is the UK’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition. It is delivered by Vodafone, in partnership with the LTA and the All England Club, forming part of Vodafone's ongoing commitment to supporting grassroots tennis in the UK and making the sport more accessible for players of all ages and abilities.