Learning Disability Tennis National Finals 2024: Oliver Beadle achieves double delight in Bolton
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The annual Learning Disability (LD) Tennis National Finals returned to Bolton Arena where this season’s champions were crowned in 20 different disciplines.
The National Finals is the culmination of the LTA’s domestic calendar of learning disability events that featured 10 regional tournaments across the country between February and October.
Oliver Beadle capped off a historic year by striking gold in the Yellow Singles Division 1 for the first time since being crowned champion three years ago.
The 25-year-old’s success at the summit of the domestic calendar came after a season of memorable individual and team performances, having finished runner-up in the II-1 men’s singles category to earn his second medal for Great Britain at the Virtus World Tennis Championships in September.
The Essex-born talent, who is currently ranked No.2 on the LTA’s official LD leaderboard, ousted the reigning champion and LD British No.1 Aidan Moody to lift the National trophy for a third time.
Beadle overcame long-term doubles partner, Luke Turnbull, in a nail-biting three-set thriller to earn his place in the final before unseating Moody to win the match 5-4(4), 5-3 and reclaim his title.
His search for silverware didn’t cease with his stellar singles campaign, however, after partnering Turnbull to retain their reign in the doubles.
Following a round robin format, Beadle and Turnbull won all four available points to top the table and lift their sixth trophy together, closely followed by Matthew Brough and Ryan Caven in second, and Adam Brownsword and Taylor Marsland in third.
Elsewhere, Scotsman Jack Dickson impressed in Division 2, beating former Leeds singles champion Keigan Freeman-Hacker 6-4 to win gold for the first time on the national stage, while Paul Godfrey, qualifier Peter Joseph Norton, Benedict Tyler, and Luke Dibenga won their respective disciplines from Division three through to six.
In the Orange Singles Division 1, Andrew Taylor successfully defended his title in both the singles and doubles draws alongside Emma Birley. Meanwhile, Division 2 crowned its new champion in Connor Cruikshank who achieved his first-ever podium finish in the competition, winning gold in the singles before joining forces with Zoe Irving to win silver in the doubles.
Nottinghamshire’s own Alexander Hopkinson also joined compatriot Beadle in reclaiming the top spot after winning two from two in the Green Singles Division, securing his third Nationals following wins in 2017 and 2022.
The Learning Disability Tennis National Finals, sanctioned by Virtus and the Special Olympics, provides opportunities for all abilities with players grouped into varying ball colour divisions: yellow ball, green ball, and orange ball.
Within these three categories, players are further grouped into divisions based on prior knowledge of the athletes and previous tournament results.
Across singles and doubles events, 20 main draws were played over the course of the three days of competition, with Yellow Division 1 Singles and Doubles played as knockout compass draws and the remaining draws played in round-robin format to maximise the number of matches for each player. Positions in two round-robin groups in Yellow Division 7 Singles were used to decide play-offs for final placings.
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