Tennis ace maintains her focus during lockdown
THIS WEEKEND GB deaf tennis star Phoebe Suthers should have been flying to Slovenia in a bid to try and retain the women’s singles and doubles titles she won at the Slovenia Deaf Tennis Open in 2018.
However, the lockdown brought about by the coronavirus pandemic has given the 17-year-old from Elland the chance to reflect on how far she has come in the sport.
Born deaf, Phoebe’s love for tennis began at the age of eight in school PE lessons, with her school subsequently suggesting she attend ‘Come and Try’ sessions at Huddersfield Lawn Tennis and Squash Club to further nurture her talent.
The youngster was already part of junior squads at her home tennis centre when, in 2013, her mum saw an advert about deaf tennis.
Together they attended an LTA (former Tennis Foundation)
Deaf Tennis Camp and later that year Phoebe competed in her first National Deaf Tennis Championships, where she met Catherine Fletcher, the LTA’s National Deaf Tennis Coach.
“That weekend I played some tennis and watched Cathy, who has been a great inspiration to me. I enjoyed the weekend so much I just wanted to play more. Tennis allows me to keep fit while doing something I enjoy and I’ve also learnt so many skills around discipline, professionalism and about life and sport in general,” said Phoebe.
“I don’t know where to start with the difference tennis has made to my life. I’ve made some amazing friends, both hearing and deaf, and I enjoy socialising and playing tennis with them.”
Aged just 12, Phoebe joined the LTA’s Deaf Tennis Performance Programme and made her Great Britain debut at the inaugural World Deaf Tennis Championships in Nottingham, where she won the U18s girls’ bronze medal.
A year later she returned from the 2016 European Deaf Championships in Slovenia with silver medals from her girls’ singles and doubles events, and her first international gold medal in the U18s mixed doubles.
Over the past few years, Phoebe has also made great strides in competition against her hearing peers.
“I just love competing and to play for GB at World and European level and to win medals in Slovenia was something very special that I will never forget.”
“I have also been part of the Yorkshire U14s County Cup winning team in hearing tennis. Given the strength of the county, it has been brilliant to be part of it all and to win my matches.
“I’ve also got numerous titles at Grade 3 standard in junior and ladies’ hearing events and I’m now winning matches in Grade 2s,” added Phoebe.
On the back of her triple European Championships medal success in Slovenia in 2016, Phoebe went on to win the women’s singles and doubles titles in the Slovenian Deaf Tennis Open in 2018, earning her first senior medals in deaf tennis competition.
She also won women’s singles and doubles titles at the LTA’s
National Deaf Tennis Championships in 2018 and 2019.
In 2019 Phoebe once again represented Great Britain at the World Deaf Tennis Championships in Turkey. Despite losing her coach during the year and battling with a back injury, she went on to win gold and bronze medals in the junior mixed doubles and singles.
She also came agonisingly close to being crowned world champion in the senior mixed doubles, narrowly losing out to the German top seeds in the final.
“I was really excited about my planned return to the Slovenia Deaf Tennis Open this year. I’m gutted it won’t be going ahead” said Phoebe.
“I’ve really good memories of the tournament in 2018 and enjoy playing on clay. I’ve been playing really well and felt I was getting back to my best.
“I also competed for Yorkshire in the U18s County Cup final and in hearing tennis this is a very high standard. I won several matches and came close in some others, just losing out in final set tie-breaks.”
Lockdown has been the latest test for Phoebe, who admits it has been a “tough” spell. She said: “In normal circumstances I compete or train most days. I usually compete on a weekend and in school holidays and train during the week.
“I would have a couple of squads during the week and a lesson with my coach and hitter. I also play for the Huddersfield hearing ladies’ teams.”
“Lockdown is tough. I just want to play my sport and whilst keeping busy with college and studying for my A-levels, it just isn’t the same.
“I’m keeping fit by running each day and doing some weights and exercises, although I can’t wait to get back competing and playing.
“Hopefully it won’t be too much longer now.”
“I’m very focussed on enjoying my tennis and doing the best I can.
The Elland starlet certainly has a bright future.
She added: “Who knows what the future holds, but I do know I want to be Deaflympics and World Champion at deaf tennis and to win a Grade 2 competition in hearing tennis.”