A promising young tennis player from Great Missenden has been selected by the LTA for the GB visually impaired (VI) squad for the first time.
Ewan Heyward has been recognised by the national governing body after a number of impressive performances since his first senior tournament appearance in 2018.
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The 15-year-old, who trains at Great Missenden Lawn Tennis Club, finished runner up at the 2019 VI National Championships and has since risen to number two in the UK in the B4/5 men’s category.
He will be added to the pool of elite players from which the LTA will select GB teams to travel to scheduled international events throughout 2021.
Ewan said: “I’m very privileged to be a part of the GB squad for 2021 and look forward to training to maintain my upward curve.
“I couldn’t have achieved this without the invaluable support from my coach, Chris Graham, and amazing VI tennis sessions at the National Tennis Centre and Islington Tennis Centre.”
Great Missenden Lawn Tennis Club
Ewan’s visual impairment is composed of three conditions – albinism, nystagmus and photophobia meaning his eyes are sensitive to sunlight and he lacks depth perception.
After starting playing mainstream tennis, Ewan discovered the visually impaired version of the sport online and fell in love with it after attending a junior festival run by the Tennis Foundation.
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Chris Graham, Head Coach at Great Missenden LTC said: “This is fantastic news and I am so pleased for Ewan.
“Not only is he a very good player, he also works tirelessly to promote visually impaired tennis and is already a great role model despite being so young.
“This is a great reward for his continued hard work, passion and positivity and I hope he’s able to continue his good form and travel to an international tournament with the GB team next year.”
Ewan attends VI training sessions at the National Tennis Centre run by LTA Community Coach, Lee Neale.
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He also works with the charity Metro Blind Sport and attends fortnightly VI tennis sessions at the Islington Tennis Centre run by the organisation.
Claire McCulloch, LTA Disability Competitions Coordinator, said: “Ewan will be a great addition to the GB squad for next year and is fully deserving of his place.
“VI tennis forms a very important part of our work to open up tennis and grow the disability side of the sport, and Ewan is a fantastic ambassador for the visually impaired game.”
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