Warwickshire tennis sides start their County Week campaigns, the Men back in elite Group 1 for the first time in 15 years.

Written by Sally Jones, Warwickshire Tennis President

Warwickshire Mens Summer County Team

All eyes will be on Warwickshire Men’s tennis side on their return to the elite Group 1 of County Week for the first time since 2010. Captain Gavin Henderson is pinning his hopes on many of the same squad who sensationally snatched promotion last year, thrashing second-placed Buckinghamshire on the final day. Warwick Boat Club coach Cameron Malik, 34,  from Stratford-on-Avon will resume his outstanding partnership with Solihull’s former national junior champion Luca Pow, 20, after the pairing dropped just two rubbers in the 2024 Championship. Pow who has played five straight tournaments on the competitive ITF European circuit, flies back today (Monday 21st July) from Portugal after narrowly losing in the doubles final of the ITF tournament at Castelo Branco. Solihull’s Mason Recci, currently coaching at Warwick Boat Club, will start at first pair with fellow-coach Max Stewart, while Beechwood Club coach Jake Hersey from Coventry and the unflappable Oliver Plaskett re aiming to repeat their heroics in a highly-competitive Group which looks set to be dominated by reigning champions Surrey and the powerful Essex side, which each boast numerous international players.

“We’re all really excited to be back in Group 1 after some incredibly hard-fought battles last year,” said Henderson. “It’ll be a big ask to ensure we stay up as the standard is so high, but I’ve got every confidence in our lads, given the way everyone supported one another and kept fighting last year, I know we’ll give it our best – and we know we’ve got to go for a big win over North of Scotland on Day 1.”

Former British number 1 Louise Kilshaw, 47, is making a welcome return to the Warwickshire women’s side at County Week, Group 4, for the first time in 14 years, as their captain, former international Lianne Candappa from Warwick attempts to reverse a string of disappointing relegations. Kilshaw, who as Sutton Coldfield-based Louise Latimer, won a string of satellite tournaments and several matches at Wimbledon in the late 1990s, will be turning out for the Bears on the first two days of their campaign at the East Gloucester Club in Cheltenham. Now married with two young daughters, living near Reading and coaching at Caversham Tennis Club, Kilshaw will partner Edgbaston Priory’s Lois Porter from Balsall Common, a confident serve-volleyer, at third pair. Holly Reid, the Edgbaston Archery Club coach and Rugby’s Elizbeth Massie, two of the standouts from last year, will start at first pair on Day One, against Group favourites Essex, with the consistent Mary Hoggard (Edgbaston Priory) and Sutton Coldfield coach Giorgie Jones selected as second pair.

The young squad is boosted by the consistent Lucie Butler, from Leamington Tennis Club and Kenilworth’s Grace Gamble, 21, on her senior County Week debut, with the experienced Candappa herself likely to play in several rubbers to protect teammates carrying injury niggles.