A group of young players from Burnham-On-Sea’s Avenue Tennis Club enjoyed a memorable day at Wimbledon after coach Vinny Duddy secured LTA Accredited ground passes for himself, Heather, and juniors John, Martha and Zoe — all of whom he has coached at the club for several years.
Vinny said the group set off from Burnham at 7am for what turned out to be a smooth, traffic‑free journey to SW19. After parking close to the All England Club, they joined the crowds heading inside and made straight for the practice courts, where several top players were warming up for the day’s matches.
A visit to Court 3 gave the juniors the chance to watch an “enlightening” wheelchair match between British number one Alfie Hewett and China’s Zhenzu Ji. Vinny said the standard and power of hitting from both athletes was “just so good,” with Hewett later progressing to meet Japan’s Tokito Oda in Sunday’s final.
The group spent the rest of the day exploring various outside courts, watching rising junior talent before splitting up — the boys continuing their tour of the grounds while the girls settled at the big screens to watch live coverage of the ladies’ semi‑finals and men’s doubles. With temperatures soaring and little shade available, Vinny said it was “exceptionally hot,” but a fantastic insight into the level of the world’s top players.
The club says its men’s teams play on Monday evenings and the ladies on Tuesdays, with both always keen to welcome new players for team matches or social play. Full summer league results can be found via the LTA website, and once league fixtures finish in July, members can join the singles ladder or attend weekly match‑practice sessions.
Avenue Tennis Club continues to host a busy programme of county and club tournaments throughout the summer, all well attended and offering spectators the chance to watch high‑quality live tennis. Upcoming events include junior competitions on 8th, 9th and 10th August, the annual Grade 3 Burnham-On-Sea Open from 17th–23rd August, and the Somerset County Championships from 24th–30th August. The Club Championships final will be held on 20th September with a BBQ planned.
Membership at the club runs annually from 1st April and includes free use of all eight floodlit courts, advance booking privileges, access to the clubhouse and bar, discounted coaching, and a range of social events. Social tennis sessions run throughout the week for all abilities, and courts can be booked online for those wanting to try the club before joining.
Coaching for juniors and adults is led by Head Coach Tim Seymour, who offers group sessions, private lessons, cardio tennis and holiday camps. Pickleball is also thriving at the club, with organised sessions on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons.
Junior members can attend free Friday evening sessions run by LTA coaches Vinny Duddy and Megan Rundle, with age‑group sessions running from 5pm to 8pm. The club also hosts a popular Wednesday supper evening with a wide selection of food and a sociable atmosphere.
The clubhouse and bar are available for private hire, with details available from committee member Dianne Kilmartin.