Tennis teacher sets standard as most prolific British Open player

A TEACHER in Woodcote has become the most prolific British Open real tennis player in history.

Claire Fahey, the head of racquets at The Oratory School, won her 13th British Open at the finals held at Seacourt Tennis Club on April 13.

She overtook Penny Lumley to make her the new record-breaking Ladies’ British Open Champion.

The 33-year-old said she didn’t know she had set a new record until she was alerted after the match.

Mrs Fahey, who lives in Ewelme, said: “As soon as I came off the court, I found out about it. It was a nice cherry on the cake.

“It was great to find out. It’s happened a few times when someone has told me about winning a record.”

Mrs Fahey played with her partner Tara Lumley in the doubles. They won comfortably, winning in two sets without losing a game, beating Nicola Doble and Katherine Carney.

She said: “They were a little bit overwhelmed by the whole final and I had never been on court with one of them. I think they were just nervous but it was a good experience for them.”

Mrs Fahey also won in the open singles in two sets against her partner again, without losing a game. She said that because she had played tennis against her sister, Sarah Vigrass, from a young age, she finds it easier to play against people she knows.

“I find it hard on your friendship but you just have to get on with the game,” said Ms Fahey. “I’m renowned for being quite relentless, so it wasn’t hard to do.

“The competitive side is the worst thing but if you can do that to someone like your sister, you can play anyone. I think it gives total respect to the other who you’re trying to beat. If you’re going out there to beat them and giving your all, it’s very respectful.”

Mrs Fahey is a seven-time World Champion and hopes to defend her title later this month at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, to gain her 46th major singles title.

She said: “I feel the pressure because there are a lot of people hoping that you do well but I understand that pressure is a privilege.

“Over the years, I have learnt that there’s a reason that I have the pressure and if you can use it in a good way and challenge it into something that works for you, that makes a huge difference.” Mrs Fahey is one of five siblings, with three of them playing tennis professionally, and she started playing when she was 11.

She said: “I was always very sporty and played a bit of tennis growing up but not a huge amount.

“After moving house, we found a tennis court which had just been built and that’s when everything fell into place. We all fell in love with it and I was very lucky.

“I joined a club and, as most juniors do, you start playing all the competitions that there are. There were lots of opportunities to compete nationally.

“I was playing lots and doing quite well and that’s when I was picked up for the Great Britain pathway at age 14. I knew from then that I wanted to become professional. In a funny way, I was stubborn enough to say this is the only way it could be.”

In 2014, Mrs Fahey played in the Opens with her male competitors following a rule change which she advocated for a year earlier to allow players to play in tournaments based on their standards, rather than their sex.

She said: “It has gone really well but there has been ups and downs. I was better than some of the qualifiers, so I spoke to the leaders because I just wanted to have more opportunities to compete.

“They did change the rules, which caused quite a bit of a stir, but there wasn’t much forward thinking before then. I was stubborn enough to say I had earned my right to play there.”

Despite Mrs Fahey and her sister competing with and against each other over the years, the sisterly bond remains strong. She said: “We are very close as sisters, so we very rarely argue. There was one time she got beaten badly but the best respect you can give is to beat them as hard as you can do.”

This year’s competition was the last to be held at Seacourt after 34 years. In November, it will be played at The Queen’s Club in London.