Hockley Youngster Dreams of Wimbledon

10-year-old tennis player Sophia Tame is impressing at Hockley Lawn Tennis Club, and the youngster dreams of taking her place on Centre Court at Wimbledon.

Sophia’s love for tennis spawned during Covid, after her parents had encouraged her to take up a sport. Rather than picking up a racket, Sophia was tempted to follow in her sister’s footsteps and play hockey.

“I used to enjoy hitting balls with [my sister] in the garden,” Sophia told Fen Regis Trophies. “Hockey hadn’t started up again since Covid, as it was out of season, so my mum contacted our local tennis club.”

Hockley Lawn Tennis Club

Sophia started at her club at the age of seven, where she has weekly lessons with her coach, Adam Paterson. As soon as she first stepped on the court at Hockley Lawn Tennis Club, she felt right at home.

“When I stood on the court with a racket,” Sophia said. “I loved it and knew that tennis was where I fitted in.”

Along with the friends that she has made during her three years at the club, she holds her coach in high regard and looks forward to her next lesson.

“He teaches me lots of new shots and techniques,” she said. “He encourages me to be confident and to be strong mentally, as well as physically.

“He is the best coach to come to if you want to be really good at tennis.”

Winning Tennis Trophies

Sophia’s development is clear for all to see, as she routinely enjoys reaching the latter stages of competitions and winning tennis trophies and medals, the first of which came 12 months ago in July 2023.

“The first trophy I won was for the Thorpe Bay Summer Open,” Sophia explained. “I played in the all-girls singles and won all my matches to win the tournament.”

Sophia added: “My proudest tennis achievement so far is winning my first yellow ball tournament, playing against girls up to two years older than me.”

Wimbledon Dream

Any young player who picks up a tennis racket dreams of playing at Wimbledon, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments in tennis. Naturally, for British players, the lure of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) holds extra significance.

It is considered the pinnacle for tennis players around the world, and Sophia is no different.

“My goal is to become a professional tennis player and to play at the Wimbledon finals. I would love to win and to achieve all that I can in tennis…I love tennis!”

Sophia will be hoping that her favourite player, Ons Jabeur, can go one better at SW19 to take the women’s singles title having lost the final in each of the last two years.

With the support of Hockley Lawn Tennis Club, her coach, and her family and friends, Sophia is well-placed to make that dream a reality – but right now, she is simply focusing on loving every moment that she is on the court.

By Aaron Gratton