Para Standing tennis player Georgia Routledge celebrates Rising Star Award
• 3 MINUTE READ
Georgia Routledge, a 20-year-old para standing tennis champion from Norwich, "never expected" such success. Having discovered the sport just over year ago, last night she won the Rising Star Award at the 2024 Variety Disability Sport Awards.
Having played non-disability tennis since she was six years old, it was only in November 2023 that Routledge first encountered para standing tennis at the LTA’s first para standing tennis festival, held at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.
Her coach, Donna Andrews, discovered the event, which the LTA ran as an opportunity to bring together players with physical impairments who wanted to play without the use of a wheelchair. Speaking to the BBC she said, "We met all these other people who were exactly like me... it was the most amazing day," Routledge recalled.
Para standing tennis is a new and evolving format of tennis for people with physical ambulatory impairments who play tennis without using a wheelchair. With over 500 players from 35 different countries, the LTA is supporting its development in Britain through the LTA Open Court programme, running para standing tennis competition and introductory camps for new players in partnership with Dan Maskell Tennis Trust.
Eager to compete, Routledge began playing para standing tennis tournaments at the start of 2024. This year, she came runner-up at the European Championships in Barcelona and won the World Championships in Turin in June. Her coach, Donna Andrews, praised her dedication: "Georgia did so well and has been rewarded for all the training she had put in pre-tournament."
Finding Para Standing Tennis has completely changed my life in a way I can’t even put into words. This has allowed me to compete around the world and meet so many incredible people with inspirational stories, like myself.
Georgia’s achievements have not gone unnoticed. Presented by comedian, TV presenter and fellow para standing tennis player, Adam Hills, last night Georgia won the ECB Rising Star Award at the 2024 Variety Disability Sport Awards – the only disability sport awards in Britain. Hills has been an avid supporter of the tennis format, working closely with the LTA to support the development of para standing tennis in Britain, and earlier this year releasing Sky Original documentary, ‘Adam Hills: Foot Fault’.
Also recognised during the evening was Alfie Hewett OBE. The world no.1 in both doubles and singles wheelchair tennis, winner of 30 Grand Slam titles, and five-time paralympic medallist, was announced the 2024 Sports Icon Award winner in a year that saw him achieve a career Golden Slam in men’s wheelchair tennis doubles with partner Gordon Reid as well as winning the men’s wheelchair singles title at The Championships, Wimbledon.
As the first British female para standing tennis player, Routledge has spoken of her aim to inspire more women and girls with disabilities to take up the sport. Along with many other members of the community she also hopes that para standing tennis will gain more recognition and opportunities at major tournaments like Wimbledon. "I am only 20, so I'd like to think that it could happen, and I could also play in it for a good length of time," she said.
2024 has seen para standing tennis go from strength to strength with more tennis venues than ever before delivering the format. Georgia’s award comes in a week that also saw 50 people have a go at para standing tennis, supported by top coaches in an event run in partnership with Adam Hills, Cheshire LTA, Warrington Wolves Foundation and the LTA.
Commenting on her award, Georgia said: “Up against such tough opposition, I feel honour to have received such a prestigious award.
“My journey started when I was 6 years old, falling in love with the game of tennis. I’ve been searching for another way to compete on a level playing field for 14 years after being told my only option was to go in a wheelchair. However until now, there was nothing out there for me, so I have been playing tennis against able bodied people my whole life.
“Finding Para Standing Tennis has completely changed my life in a way I can’t even put into words. This has allowed me to compete around the world and meet so many incredible people with inspirational stories, like myself.
“I hope winning this award will result in increased funding and promotion and raise the profile of the sport, culminating in its inclusion in Paralympics and future Grand Slams.”
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