Framlingham College's tennis players receive county recognition

Framlingham College Prep School’s tennis squad have been named the Junior Team of the Year at the Suffolk Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Awards.

The highly-contested award open to schools, clubs and county teams was given in recognition of a successful season in 2019, culminating in the school winning four out of the eight titles at the Prep Schools’ National Tennis Championships in July, hosted by Hazlegrove school.

Beth Gardens won the Under-13 Girls Singles and Doubles (with partner Anna Cogdell), Nat Salsby and James Tennant won the Under-13 Boys’ Doubles and Mia Spaull and Evie Tassell won the Under-11 Girls’ Doubles title.

Earlier in the campaign, a strong squad of 16 players travelled to the IAPS Tennis Championships at Rugby School, where the Under-13B Mixed Team crowned as national champions.

Meanwhile, the Under-13B Girls (Bella Blunden, India Prince) reached the final and the U11A Boys (Alfie Paffett and Toby Blunden) advanced all the way through to the semi-finals.

Back at county level, 20 teams from the school took part in the Suffolk Schools’ Leagues, ranging from Under-8s to Under-13s.

A total of 18 of these teams from the school went on to make the County Finals, with five of those squads subsequently becoming county champions – (Under-8 Girls, Under-10 Girls, Under-11 Boys and Girls and Under-13 Girls).

In October, the Under-13 Girls’ team – comprising of Beth Gardens, Anna Cogdell, India Prince and Evie Newton – followed that up by clinching the regional title.

Richard Daynes, head of tennis at the school, said: “I am very proud of the team that went to the Prep Schools’ National Tennis Championships.

“Their combined success and brilliant performances there were instrumental in us winning this award.

“It was a very prestigious event that has been running for a number of years.

To win the Suffolk Junior Team of the Year award is a great achievement when I think of the schools, clubs and county teams we were up against.”

The awards ceremony is yet to take place as it has been postponed due to the coronavirus crisis.