A grandma of seven from Broughton said she was ‘overawed’ after becoming the world’s number one tennis player in her age group.
Dorothy Bamber won the women’s singles tournament, as well as the doubles competition, in the 85-plus age group at the British Masters Grass Court Closed Championships at Wimbledon last month.
Organised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the victory saw Dorothy become the world number one player in the ITF Masters Tour women’s 85-plus age category. Her doubles victory, alongside playing partner Carol Davies, took her to world number two in the doubles section of the same age group.
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Doubles runners up at the same event included another Broughton player, Pam McGrath, and her partner Mary Walkerdine.
Dorothy, who turned 85 this year, has been a member of Broughton and District Tennis Club since 1965 and has been playing tennis since she was 10-years-old.
She said: “I never dreamed that I would be playing at Wimbledon alongside people I know are good tennis players and who I really admire.
“The wins were incredible, but I have been amazed by how many people have sent me messages congratulating me. It has been fantastic to hear from so many people I have played tennis with or against over the years.
“I am just overawed by the whole thing.”
With every intention of defending her titles at next year’s tournament, Dorothy says she tries to play tennis three or four times-a-week, weather permitting, and praised her home club of Broughton for the role it plays in her life.
She said: “Broughton Tennis Club is my second home and I am very proud to be a member. I have got so many friends there and it is a wonderful place.”
With three children and seven grandchildren, she said her family were ‘very proud’ of her achievements and her involvement in the ITF Masters Tour had even given her the opportunity to visit family out in Australia.
She added: “I have travelled the world and, with a granddaughter in Australia, I was encouraged to go and play in the Queensland Championship in 2023. I ended up winning the singles and doubles and that was the start of it all.”
Dorothy’s competitive zeal does not end there. In fact, as a member of the Great Britain team she will compete at the ITF Masters World Team Championships in Croatia this October, before returning to captain the over-75s Lancashire team back in the UK.
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