Wanborough Tennis Club named Wiltshire's only LTA performance centre for under-10s
Councillors praise club after Lawn Tennis Association recognition
Last updated 15th Sep 2026
A tennis club near Swindon has been selected by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) as a performance centre for Under 10 players, making it the only club in Wiltshire to hold the designation.
Wanborough Tennis Club received the recognition following what the LTA described as a rigorous selection process, which took into account the quality of coaching at the club and its growing reputation for developing talented young players.
Councillor Matthew Vallender, Swindon Borough Council's Cabinet Member responsible for leisure and sport, and Councillor Matt Hinton, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Safety and Services and ward councillor for Chiseldon and Ridgeway, recently visited the club to congratulate Head Coach Becky Watts and club members on the achievement.
The programme began this month and will give aspiring young tennis players from across Wiltshire access to high-quality performance coaching closer to home.
According to the club, the next nearest LTA performance centre is around an hour away, making Wanborough's new status a significant boost for families across the county.
Becky Watts, who has been coaching at Wanborough for almost 20 years, will lead the programme.
The club already has some of the country's most promising young players, including an Under 10 national champion, with several youngsters progressing through county, regional and national development pathways.
Councillor Vallender said the achievement reflected "years of dedication to developing young players and creating opportunities for children to enjoy and excel in sport."
"Having a centre of this calibre in the Borough means talented young tennis players from our communities and across Wiltshire can access elite coaching and development opportunities without having to travel long distances," he said.
"It's inspiring to see local youngsters progressing through county, regional and national pathways, and this programme will help even more young people achieve their potential in the years ahead."
Councillor Hinton described the recognition as "a real feather in the cap for Wanborough and for Swindon as a whole."
"For a relatively small community club to achieve this level of recognition is incredibly impressive," he said.
"The club is now firmly on the map as a centre of excellence for junior tennis, and everyone connected with it should be extremely proud of what has been achieved."
Becky Watts, Head Coach at Wanborough Tennis Club, said: "We're absolutely delighted to have been appointed as an LTA performance centre for Under 10 players. It's a huge endorsement of the work that has been taking place at the club over many years and of the dedication shown by our young players and their families."
"We want to create opportunities for children at every level, whether they want to play once a week with friends or have ambitions of progressing through county, regional and national programmes. We're excited to welcome talented young players from across Wiltshire and help them develop their game in a supportive and inspiring environment."
Club chairman Tim Thurston said: "We have worked hard as a club and with the Parish Council to create great facilities for Wanborough and Swindon residents and appreciate both Wanborough Parish and Swindon Borough Council's support with this opportunity."
The initial agreement with the LTA runs for two years and is expected to support the continued growth of junior tennis at the club.