Anyone for tennis talk, and close-up with the sport’s ‘World Cup’
News from our partners University Centre Shrewsbury
Victorious Team GB after beating Belgium to win the Davis Cup – photo courtesy of Getty Images
Sports fans will have the chance to get up close to the ‘World Cup of Tennis’ at an event at University Centre Shrewsbury’s learning and research base.
People are invited to see the Davis Cup and take photographs before hearing from the President of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), Cathie Sabin, and UCS’ tennis-playing Professor of Applied Exercise Science, John Buckley, during the free event on Friday 19 February 2016.
The Davis Cup by BNP Paribas is the premier international team event in tennis. The trophy was lifted by the Great Britain team – which includes Andy and Jamie Murray – in November 2015. The win was Great Britain’s first Davis Cup victory in 79 years.
The event, organised by UCS, the Shrewsbury Club and Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID) takes place at Guildhall in Frankwell Quay from 1pm to 2.30pm. Members of Energize, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin – the county sports partnership – will also be on hand to share information and talk to visitors.
Cathie Sabin, who hails from Shropshire, was on court in Belgium to receive the Davis Cup on behalf of the LTA. She is the first female president of the LTA and was recently awarded an OBE.
Cathie will outline the British team’s journey from the bottom tier of world tennis to winners in five years, what it means to British tennis to win the Cup again after almost eight decades and the potential legacy of the victory.
John, who was once a tennis coach and currently plays for the Shrewsbury Club men’s team and Shropshire’s senior men’s squad, leads courses and research in the Medicine and Science of Health and Exercise at UCS. He will give a presentation and discuss the health and science of tennis.
The Davis Cup is coming to Shrewsbury as part of the Aegon GB Pro Series events, hosted by the Shrewsbury Club. The competition is one of the biggest sporting events in Shropshire, being part of the International Tennis Federation World Series and attracting players from across Europe.
John said:
“We are thrilled that the Cup is coming to University Centre Shrewsbury and to host this event with the Shrewsbury Club and the BID. Being a keen tennis player, it is an exciting and huge privilege to be involved with this event.
“Working together with local sports clubs, community organisations and national bodies, it is fantastic to have such opportunities to contribute to Shropshire’s events calendar and sporting life.
“The event is free and open to everyone, so please do come and share in our excitement for the sport, the GB Davis Cup team’s victory and the arrival of this show-stopping trophy in Shrewsbury.”
Dave Courteen, the Shrewsbury Club’s Managing Director said:
“We are so proud that the LTA has allowed us to bring the Davis Cup to Shrewsbury for its first visit away from the National Tennis Centre in London.
“It is a real pleasure to work with University Centre Shrewsbury and Shrewsbury BID to hold this event in the centre of the town.
“We hope that people will be encouraged to come and watch some of the world class tennis we have on at the Shrewsbury Club in February, with the hosting of the Aegon GB Pro Series.”
Kirsten Henly, Shrewsbury BID Executive Director added:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Shrewsbury to see a great sporting trophy after a historic GB win last year.
“It’s set to be a one-off occasion for people to see the Cup and learn more about the sport. We expect to see many people at the event and in town to make the most of it being here.”
To book places for the event go to https://daviscupevent.eventbrite.co.uk or call 01743 297185.
Alternatively, people can visit Rowley’s House, Barker Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1QH, or Guildhall, Frankwell Quay, Shrewsbury, SY3 8HQ. The helpdesk at Rowley’s House is open 11am to 2pm Monday to Thursday. The information point at Guildhall is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4pm on Fridays.
Further information
The Davis Cup
The trophy is 110cm high, 107cm in diameter at its widest point, and weighs 105kg.
The Aegon GB Pro Series
The men’s tournament will run from 13 February to 20 February and is hosted on the indoor courts at the Shrewsbury Club in Sundorne Road. The final will be played at 1.30pm on Saturday February 20. Entry is free for spectators all week.
The women’s tournament is held in November.
The winner of the women’s event for the last two years has been Oceane Dodin who recently beat former world number one, Jelena Jankovic at the US Open. The US Open runner up, Roberta Vinci, who beat Serena Williams on her way to the final, was a winner in Shrewsbury in 2008.
A number of British players are also due to take part and Heather Watson, Laura Robson and Johanna Konta have all played at the event. Davis Cup player Dan Evans won the men’s event in Shrewsbury in 2013 and last year’s winner, Quentin Halys, went on to play Rafael Nadal in the French Open just a few weeks after his appearance at Shrewsbury.
Each of the men’s and women’s tournaments attract around 1,000 people from all over UK and Europe to Shrewsbury.
Organisers of the Guildhall event
University Centre Shrewsbury offers a range of high quality undergraduate and postgraduate courses. For further information go to: www.ucshrewsbury.ac.uk
The Shrewsbury Club has almost 3,000 local members and provides a health club, swimming pool with sauna and steam room, eight outdoor and six indoor tennis courts, day spa and bistro and coffee bar. For more details see: www.theshrewsburyclub.co.uk
The mission of Shrewsbury BID is to improve the town centre in line with the priorities of the town’s business community, for the benefit of the many people that visit, live, work and invest in Shrewsbury. For more on the BID go to: www.originalshrewsbury.co.uk/BID.
