Keith (right) scooped runner up in the ITF Men’s Singles 80s, pictured with winner Richard Tutt
Thanet’s Keith Clark has been presented with awards recognising the unbeaten run this season of his over 75s and over 80s tennis teams.
Keith, 80, who owns Ramsgate’s Oddfellows, Deal Cutter and Camden Arms, has been a tennis player for some 60 years.
He is currently captain for the Kent Tennis Association 75s and 80s teams which both achieved success in the 2025/2026 season and share the Kent Tennis Adult Performance Team of the Year award following wins in the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) Seniors County Cup.
Keith was also runner up in this month’s Indoor Tennis Championships (ITF) at Wrexham where he won second place in the Men’s Singles 80s. He narrowly lost to player Richard Tutt who has previously won five world double titles and is a GB player and captain.
Keith said: “Last year as I reached the age of 80 I was eligible to play in that age group. As I have been captain of the 75 team for five years, I ended up captaining and playing for both teams due to the 80s group being played on a league basis .
“At a finals day at David Lloyd Southampton at the end of October, Kent won the 80s league and Kent beat Yorkshire 4-0 in the 75 age group final.
“I received an award at the recent Kent Tennis Awards Night at the Avenue Tennis Club in Gillingham for the unusual feat of being undefeated all season. I partnered with Brian Robinson (Polo Farm Canterbury member) in the 80s and I played with Peter Pharo (Park Langley, Bromley) in the 75 team and we were also undefeated all season.
“At Wrexham I had three relatively easy singles wins without dropping a set. I beat the 80s world number 14 by 6-1 6-2 in the 2nd round but narrowly lost to the top UK player 7-5 7-5 in the final.”
Thanet’s Bob Whitehead was also at Wrexham and reached the Quarter-Finals of the 75+ Singles before succumbing to an injury.