November in Pictures | 2023

Twenty-six players (above & below) celebrated a year of Pickleball at Totally Tennis with a tournament and an after party with nibbles, drinks and a celebration cake

ADAPT performance player Austin Durman represented Hampshire & IOW in the U8 County Cup. The team were overall runners-up

50+ sessions (above & below) with coaches Kevin & Charlotte

Dan Ward (pictured right) was runner-up in the LTA South & South West Tour 16U boys singles at Aldershot Tennis Centre

Monday Mixed Morning with coach Kevin

Five-year-old Romy enjoying her private lessons with coach Isla

Adult pay-and-play sessions with coach Kevin

November Park run meet-up of Basingstoke 5K Your Way – Move Against Cancer group with Tennis Director Nigel

Early morning ADAPT training with coach Debbie for the Durman brothers William, Edward and Austin

County Cup Debut For Austin

ADAPT performance player Austin Durman, who trains at Totally Tennis with coach Debbie, represented Hampshire & IOW in last Sunday’s U8 Boys County Cup held at Bucks Indoor Tennis Centre in High Wycombe.

The Hampshire team were playing in Group A against teams from host county Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, Sussex and South Wales. Durman was playing alongside teammates Edward Wood, Hugo Kirkness, Rafael Butler and Charlie Reeves. Sussex won overall on most rubbers won with team Hampshire finishing in the runner-up spot after defeating Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Sussex and a draw against South Wales.

The Hampshire & IOW U8 Girls team were also runners-up in their event.

County Cup events give players the opportunity to represent their county in a team competition for junior players from 8U to 18U. The 8U County Cup is a one day event for players competing in teams of four to six players and acts as an introduction to County Cup tennis and is aimed at those who have not competed in a County Cup event before.*

Team photo used with courtesy of Hampshire & IOW Tennis via X

* Information via the LTA website – click HERE for more details.

August in Pictures | 2023

Mixed Morning players on court with coach Kevin

Junior summer tennis & multi sports camps

ADAPT performance player Will played at the grade 3 southern championships at Devonshire Park

The Mixed team (L to R Michael, Lisa, Max & Sandra) beat David Lloyd Newbury at home 5-3

ADAPT performance player Will competed in the grade 1 Junior National Championships

The ‘Totally Pickled’ team (L to R Harry, Debbie, Michelle & Glen) played in round 6 of the South East England Pickleball League (SEPL)

50+ players

A successful county closed for ADAPT performance players William and Edward Durman

The final week of summer tennis camps

30 walkers, runners and supporters from Basingstoke 5K Your Way – Move Against Cancer enjoyed drinks and cakes together at Totally Tennis after the Basingstoke Park

ADAPT Performance Players Win at County Closed | 2023

Well done to all the ADAPT performance players who played and won at this year’s Hampshire & IOW County Championships 2023.

In the U12 boys singles, second seed William Durman was crowned champion after beating Oluwamurewa Egbeyemi in the final 6-2, 2-6, 10-5. He was also U12 doubles champion with partner Zachary Kleiner defeating second seeds Ollie Wright and Jasper Yu 4-2, 4-1.

In the U14 doubles event, Durman and Kleiner finished as runner-up after they lost to top seeds Daniel Rutorov and Edwin James Vopson 4-2, 4-1. In the U14 singles quarter-finals, Durman lost to second seed and overall winner Daniel Rutorov 6-3, 7-5.

Younger brother Edward Durman was U10 doubles champion with partner Campbell Purdie. It was an all ADAPT players final with Durman and Purdie beating teammates Connie Soon and Josh Reid 4-3. Second seeds Durman and partner Filip Kaminski were U11 doubles runner-ups after losing to top seeds Archie Rossiter and Daniel Vopson 4-2, 4-1.

Totally Tennis coach and top seed Isla Hignett won the woman’s doubles title with partner Charlotte Howard beating second seeds Scarlett Doman and Ivana Maynard 6-3, 7-5.

ADAPT Performance Tennis at Totally Tennis

What is ADAPT Tennis? ADAPT Performance Tennis at Totally Tennis is a programme designed by performance player and coach Debbie Hale to ‘create a buzz about training together’. The programme offers an opportunity to bring county level (or above) players together without imposing on their own programmes at their respective club. Simply, players can access great coaching with similar level players at a great facility.

Why Totally Tennis? Hale played at the club with Tennis Director Nigel Long aged 14-18 years before she headed to Bath University where she continued her tennis journey. She has have fond memories of playing as a junior here and a great relationship with Nigel so together they decided to make something work. Basingstoke is also great a location for a hive of players to join together to train and court facilities are all that’s needed to run a performance programme. 

What is the aim of ADAPT? Hale wanted to created a programme where coaches and clubs feel they can send players for bonus training sessions while still playing in their existing coaching/club schedule. The aim is that going forward Hampshire County teams are filled with more depth and a volume of players that can make National level. Like the old days when Hale was young and there were ten players minimum at Nationals.

How does the ADAPT programme work? If parents have permission from their son\daughter’s own coach who agrees to the benefits of additional training at ADAPT, Hale is happy to coach those players. Clear communication between the coaches and parents is key for everyone to work well together. 

How often can players join the ADAPT hive? Players can sign up ad-hoc day-by-day or pay for a course. 

What does Hale offer? With over twenty years experience and the last fifteen in performance, Hale has produced and supported many players to National and European level. She cares about the players and their individual journeys. ADAPT is a high intensity training environment with basket and rally drills plus detailed coaching tips to improve a player technically, tactically and mentally. 

What does Hale look forward to in the tennis year? Hale loves a day at Wimbledon and  county week, county matches and county cups, both playing herself or as a captain. She enjoys the team aspect of tennis and how players represent each other and the team. 

To find out more information about ADAPT Performance Tennis telephone 01256 358815 or visit www.instagram.com/adapttennis/

January in Pictures | 2021

Junior player Jasmine trying out her new racket before the National lockdown was announced on 4th January 2021

Junior player Shona finding new ways to practice during her daily exercise with her parents in lockdown

Shona practices indoors too with her Top Spin Pro trainer

Performance player and coach Isla and her brother Liam filmed a new lockdown video for players to try at home

In the world of professional tennis British players travelled to Melbourne for the Australian Open. Some practiced under strict quarantine rules while others had to contend with practising in their rooms due to COVID outbreaks

Then there was snow too

May in Pictures | 2020

COVID-19 – May 2020 saw the return to socially distanced tennis on the outdoor courts. Our performance players were straight back on court practising and enjoying the Spring sunshine.

In news from the professional game, the LTA announced that seven-times Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles champion Jamie Murray has organised a six-day tennis event that will be screened on Amazon Prime Video. The ‘Schroders Battle of the Brits‘ will take place behind closed doors from 23rd – 28th June at the National Tennis Centre to raise money for NHS Charities Together – read more HERE (photo used with courtesy of www.lta.org.uk

 

April in Pictures | 2020

At Home with The Hignetts – a series of fun games and challenges to keep active at home from our very own performance players and coaches Liam & Isla Hignett (see full series on Facebook and Instagram)

The viral toilet roll challenge (see video in full on Facebook)

 

Liam & Isla completed Andy Murray’s 100 Volley Challenge demonstrated by him and his wife Kim in their garden

Coach Dom tried out Roger Federer’s volley drill against the wall

Some of our performance players put together a fun TikTok (see video in full on Facebook)

Our team starred in fun Easter video (see full video on Facebook)

Another day, another challenge with Head Coach James (see full video on Facebook)

Andy Murray and Kiki Bertens swapped their rackets for playstation controllers and won the ‘virtual’ Madrid Open titles from and then donated their winnings to charity

Challenges and Games to try at Home

If you need some inspiration to keep the family occupied while in self-isolation check out the #AtHomeWithTheHignetts series on our Facebook page with some challenges and fun games demonstrated by our very own brother and sister duo performance players and coaches Liam & Isla Hignett – click HERE to see more.

The challenges and games can be  performed at home, some solo and others with a member of your household. You just need rackets and a ball (plus a wall for the solo exercises). Got a mini tennis net? Set up a makeshift court in the garden and keep practising you shots.

Feeling lethagic and lacking motivation? There’s lots of challenges on our Facebook page to keep you entertained and active. Check out the TikTok made by some of our performances players and our team attempting some fun tennis challenges. Join in with the professional players like Liam and Isla completing Andy Murray’s 100 volley challenge and Roger Federer’s volley drill against a wall like coach Dom. Can you beat Head coach James 30 second racket game? Visit our Facebook page HERE to see all the videos.

Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you back on court soon.

March in Pictures | 2020

Performance player Hayden Cummings was runner-up in the Grade 4 South West Winter County Tour 14 & U Boys Singles held at Hale Gardens.

Former Totally Tennis performance player and Sherfield School Tennis scholar Dean Kirby Cooper (right) competed in his first grade 4 ITF doubles event in Tampico, Mexico.

The Queen Mary’s College (QMC) boys tennis team enjoyed their first outdoor training session of the season

Head Coach James McIntosh will be running the (now postponed) London Marathon and held ‘The Macca’ adult tournament to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK

Coach Dom joined the team at Hampshire Court Spa & Leisure ‘Fitness Fanatic 3’ event to raise money for Sport Relief

Performance player and coach Liam Hignett was runner-up in the Men’s singles at the British Tour Edgbaston

Siblings Liam and Isla Hignett are offering a series of self-isolation tennis exercises here on the blog to keep everyone active during the Coronavirus outbreak