Phillips nets second senior Wimbledon grass court title

A SENIOR tennis player from Medmenham has chalked up a second triumph at Wimbledon.

Leonard Phillips, 90, was victorious in the over-90s singles at the Wimbledon Grass Court tennis championship earlier this month, winning all three rounds of the round robin draw.

After winning his first round match 6-1 6-0, then the second round 4-6 6-0 and tie-break 10-8, he secured the championship in the final by winning 6-3 6-0.

It is the second Wimbledon victory for Leonard, who also won the singles event competing in a younger age group when he was 85.

Leonard is also a former winner of the Senior British Open Masters Indoor Tennis Championships for his age group, claiming the title four times in 2023, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

Surprisingly, Leonard only took up tennis later in life.

He explained: “I did not start playing tennis until I was 45. Since then I have played for Bucks County from age 65-70 and in the GB team when I was 80, which took me to places like Croatia and Turkey.

“I am very passionate about tennis. It’s great fun for me.”