A highlight of the Open Day on 12 July was a speed serving competition for members and visitors. Using a special digital sped gun loaned for the occasion by Generation Tennis, Wimbledon wannabes dreaming of that 130mph ace queued all afternoon to see if their serves really were as fast as they thought they were…

Oh, just one problem: the serves had to be in!

It was so much fun on the day, with prizes for winners, that the club is going to have an ongoing fastest serve leaderboard, with further opportunities for speed serving timing at cub sessions coming soon.

The aim is that by Finals Day on 6 September we will have a Fishbourne Tennis Club Fastest Server trophy to award. And before you ask, only fully paid up FTC members are eligible, so no tennis coaches, JJ (he’s hit 113mph but on the day could manage ‘only’ 100mph).

Shown here is the leaderboard from the Open Day competition. Highlights? Troy Mordle, 11, was fastest junior with 46mph; Luke McEwan’s 81mph was enough to take the men’s prize, while topping the women was Nikki Holden with an impressive 70mph. Nikki (pic below) even had enough strength left to take on the Cardio Tennis course. Other pictures show Troy and Luke being awarded with their prizes by David Lord.

Prize for broken racquet went to Chris Gosden – yes, he was trying that hard to win!