Broady pride for special home
NAOMI BROADY admits there will be huge pride playing in her home Manchester tournament next week.
The 27-year-old from Stockport was left deeply affected by the recent terrorist atrocities, first at the Manchester Arena and then in London.
And Broady welcomes an opportunity for her own Northern Lawn Tennis Club to show its support for the victims and put on the sport’s own display of strength.
PR manager Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed, went to the same school as Broady and was friends with her older sister. Broady said: “I have only been back home for one day since it happened. And I have not yet been able to get back to the memorial in Manchester – which I will be doing.
“I had already decided to play the Manchester tournament ahead of the WTA one in Nottingham.
“And with what has happened I feel I’ll be in the right place. I am also very pleased that the organisers will be donating money from ticket sales to the benefit fund.
“There were so many good stories coming out afterwards with people sticking fingers up at the terrorists. They made me very emotional, and so proud to be a Mancunian. It’s special for me to play at home.”
On the court, Broady eased to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Tara Moore in Surbiton yesterday to get her grass-court season up and running.
Heather Watson, another along with Broady that may benefit from a wild card for Wimbledon, claimed a 7-6, 6-1 win over Russia’s Alia Kudryavtseva.
Watson said: “There have been a lot of weather delays – I was really looking forward to just playing and getting on court, grass is my favourite surface.”
Laura Robson, also a candidate for a wild card at Wimbledon and still on the comeback trail from a wrist injury, lost her first-round match to New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic 6-7, 6-3, 6-2.