Tia adds another first with national accolade
LEAMINGTON’S Tia Norton has continued to create history by joining US Open champion Emma Raducanu in being honoured at the LTA Tennis Awards ceremony.
The 18-year-old trailblazer from Whitnash became the first British woman to play on the professional padel tour last year and also led Team GB in the World Championship.
And now Norton has been announced as the very first recipient of the Padel Award at the LTA Tennis Awards while Raducanu took the player of the year prize.
Padel, a cross between tennis and squash which is governed by the LTA, has made huge strides since it was recognised as a form of tennis and integrated into the organisation in November 2020. There are now more than 150 padel courts across the country with more opening all the time.
Norton, a former Myton School student, said the accolade will continue to inspire her dreams – and she hopes it will drive more people to play the sport.
“I’m extremely pleased that padel as whole in the UK is getting the recognition it deserves, not only me,” she said.
“Of course I am extremely delighted and proud to be the first person to ever receive this award, and I hope it can be awarded to many more people in years to come,”
“As much as it has inspired me to keep pursuing my dream, I hope it can inspire many more people to get involved in the sport within the UK.” Tia, the British No.1, first started playing padel in 2015 at the age of 12, having grown up as a keen tennis player. One of the fastest growing sports across continental Europe, padel is played on an enclosed court, smaller than a tennis court, but has the same scoring system as tennis, over the best of three sets and is always played in doubles. The ball can bounce of any wall but can only hit the turf once before being returned. Points can be scored when the ball does bounce twice in the competitors’ field.
The LTA Tennis Awards 2022 highlight, acknowledge and reward the incredible contributions of people across Britain in 2021.
Sixteen-year-old Ben Bartram picked up the LTA Junior Player of the Year Award while Ruby Bishop was Young Person of the Year, and Grantham Tennis Club were named Club of the Year. The Cathie Sabin Volunteer of the Year Award went to Susie Griffiths from Wales, with Jenny Frow, from Herefordshire and Worcestershire, collecting the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.
I’m extremely pleased that padel as whole in the UK is getting the recognition it deserves, not only me.
Tia Norton