Real Tennis News Digest — August 2025

Tournament results, articles and entry forms from across the game

Each month Real Tennis News provides a summary of the top tournament results and coverage of the game around the world. We also have entry forms to upcoming tournaments around the world that anyone can play, so find one near you and sign up today.

Don’t forget to send in your stories or match reports to get featured on Real Tennis News. In particular, we are looking for photographers and correspondents for any major event around the world. Get in touch at ben.geytenbeek@gmail.com.

Tournament results and reports:

• 4-8 August: Girls U19’s World Championships: Katherine Carney def Lydia Compton-Burnett 6/2 6/0 (Singles), Katherine Carney & Lydia Compton Burnett def Hazel Christensen & Calliope Yannuzzi 6/2 6/2 (Doubles)

• 11 July-10 August: David Cull Trophy: Robert Shenkman def Robert Fahey 6/2 6/5

• 14-17 August: Dutch Championships: Paul Bollerman def Hugo van der Meer 8/3 (Open), Claire de Graaf def Saskia Bollerman (wrong handed) 8/1 (Women’s)

• 14-17 August: Pell Cup: John Lumley & Josh Smith won the group stage 3-0 (Pro Division), Erik Barker & Noah Motz def Pat Winthrop & Jon Crowell 8/0 (A Division), Ryan Carey & Tim Welles def Madison Daly & James Daly 8/6 (B Division), Sewall Hodges & John Jones def Ross Cann & Graham Jones 8/3 (C Division), Chris Yalanis & John Levis def Tony Lago & Chris Heffernan 8/7 (D Division), Randy Barr & Reeve Harde def Ellen Hermann & Noelle Shiland 8/1 (E Division)

• 15-17 August: NSW Open: Oliver Pridmore def Kieran Booth 2/6 6/5 6/2 (Open Singles), Jo See Tan def Amanda Murphy 6/0 6/0 (Women’s Singles), Kieran Booth & Oliver Pridmore def Chris Chapman & John Woods-Casey 4/6 6/5 6/2 (Open Doubles), Jo See Tan & Amanda Murphy def Tailai O’Brien & Holly Brewster 6/0 6/0 (Women’s Doubles)

• 15-17 August: British Junior Open: Maximus Warner def Archie Watson 6/3 6/1 (Under 18’s), Martha Raitt def Alice Dyer 8/1 (Under 18 Girl’s), Maximus Warner def Laszlo Garson 6/0 6/0 (Under 16’s), Kurt Mueller def Maximillian Ansell 6/1 6/1 (Under 14’s), Daniel Morgan def Jack Morgan 8/5 (Under 12’s)

Real tennis in the popular press:

• Holyport real tennis star Carney serves up double world title in New York — via Slough & South Bucks Express

• Be part of the First Real Tennis National Open Event — via Tennis and Rackets Association

• Tim Dowe celebrates 60 years of hand-crafting rackets for Grays — via International Real Tennis Professionals Association

Obituaries:

• Ivan Ronaldson:

  • via United States Court Tennis Association (notice)

  • via United States Court Tennis Association (celebration of life notice & appeal)

  • via United States Court Tennis Association (celebration of life live stream)

  • via Tennis and Rackets Association

  • via International Real Tennis Professionals Association

  • via Royal Tennis Court

  • via Real Tennis News

Unofficial Real Tennis World Rankings:

• Biggest rise (top 100): Alex Marino-Hume (+7) — NSW Open Quarter Finalist

• Biggest fall (top 100): Daniel Williams (-14) — fall off of the 2023 Victorian Open

Unofficial Real Tennis World Championships:

• Level:

  • 2 Aug: Robert Fahey def Beau Swallow at Lord’s (David Cull Trophy)

  • 2 Aug: Robert Fahey def Chris Swallow at Lord’s (David Cull Trophy)

  • 10 Aug: Robert Shenkman def Robert Fahey at Lord’s (David Cull Trophy)

• Handicap:

  • Ned Batstone not challenged in August

2027 IRTPA World Race (after 4/14 events — approx 100,000 points remain¹)

1. John Lumley² (31,190 points)

2. Robert Fahey (24,917 points)

3. Ben Taylor-Matthews (22,555 points)

4. Camden Riviere³ (19,693 points)

5. Nick Howell (13,743 points)

Real tennis job market:

• Seacourt Tennis Club Searching for Assistant Sports Coach — via Tennis and Rackets Association

Real tennis online media:

• From the archive: 2006 World Championships — Day 1 — Robert Fahey vs Tim Chisholm

• From the archive: 2006 World Championships — Day 2 — Robert Fahey vs Tim Chisholm (premieres 2 September)

• realtennisflair — via Instagram

Upcoming major events:

• 21-28 September: French Open. Paris. More information via this link.

• 23, 25, 27 September: World Championship, Newport. More information via this link.

Upcoming tournaments and entry forms:

• 5-7 September: Victorian Amateur Singles & Doubles. Melbourne. Entries closed.

• 13-14 September: British Over 60 Amateur Doubles. Radley. Sign up via this link. ENTRIES CLOSE 8 SEPTEMBER

• 13-14 September: British Ladies Hi-Low Tournamnet. Hatfield. Contact ladiesrealtennis@gmail.com

• 20-21 September: British Under 15 & Under 19 Doubles Championships. Holyport. Sign up via this link. ENTRIES CLOSE 12 SEPTEMBER

• 27-28 September: British Over 50 Amateur Doubles. Prested. Sign up via this link. ENTRIES CLOSE 20 SEPTEMBER

• 3-5 October: Northern Invitational Doubles. Jesmond Dene. Sign up via this link. ENTRIES CLOSE 19 SEPTEMBER

• 10-12 October: French National Doubles Championships. Paris. Sign up via this link.

• 17-19 October: Raquette de Bronze (30-39 handicaps). Fontainebleau. Sign up via this link.

• 25-26 October: Royal Tennis Court 30-39 Open Singles Championships. Royal Tennis Court. Sign up via this link. ENTRIES CLOSE 12 OCTOBER

• 1-2 November: Bristol 20-29 Open Singles Championships. Bristol. Sign up via this link. ENTRIES CLOSE 19 OCTOBER

Save the date:

• 10-24 Jan 2026: Boomerang Cup, Melbourne. Sign up via this link. ENTRIES CLOSE 21 NOVEMBER

• 28 Mar-11 Apr 2026: World Masters Championships, Ballarat, Hobart, Sydney & Melbourne. More information via this link.

• 22 May 2026: Manchester Tennis and Racquet Club Sesquicentennary, Manchester. More information via this link.

Robert Blizzard at the 2025 British Junior Open. Photo credit: Doug Sherpedigian

1. The largest number of points a single player can accumulate by winning all remaining events, based on the declared or forecasted points value of remaining tournaments

2. May be exempt should he win the 2025 Real Tennis World Championship

3. May be exempt should he win the 2025 Real Tennis World Championship