The Future of British Tennis Has Arrived

Twelve years on from Andy Murray's famous Wimbledon win, there's a new influx of players revitalising British tennis

7th July 2013, SW19

The nail-biting, 12-minute final game that lives in the memory of British tennis fans. Of course, this was the year Andy Murray finally claimed his first Wimbledon title — a moment of national pride after 77 long years.

In some ways, nothing changes: strawberries and cream, Pimm’s, Henman Hill, and a seemingly universal roar for the British underdog.

In other ways, everything changes: expectations, virtual queues, and bot line judges.

British Tennis on Top

With British tennis in the midst of a renaissance, fans flooded through the gates on 30th June to witness what became the most successful opening day for homegrown players in years. Thirteen British players started on day one in the main draw; seven of them advanced to the second round. In total, 23 British players featured across the singles draws — the highest number since 1984.

A representative from The Saint caught the action live and spoke to fans soaking up the atmosphere.

Day One Dreaming

We stumbled upon a group of lads from St Albans who had queued since 1 a.m., buzzing at the news that Ollie Tarvet, a local product of Batchwood Tennis Academy, was playing on Court 4. They dashed over just in time to see him seal a thrilling first-round victory.

Tarvet, now a student-athlete at the University of San Diego, is part of a new wave of British players balancing NCAA tennis and the pro circuit. Due to scholarship rules, players like him cannot keep prize money beyond covering expenses. Tarvet joked in a BBC interview that his coach might be flying back in a private jet to bypass the rule.

His run ended in the second round, falling to reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The Fall of the Seeds

Wimbledon 2025 wasn’t just about British triumph — it was a graveyard for the seeds. 

The tournament is no stranger to early upsets, with the short grass-court season and its surface-specific demands catching many top players off guard:

• Arthur Fery, another British college athlete, pulled off a stunning upset over 20th seed Alexei Popyrin on day one. 

• Sonay Kartal shocked former Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko (20th seed) in the opening round.

• Big names including Casper Ruud, Maria Sakkari, Coco Gauff, and Jack Draper all exited earlier than expected.

Frustration and Farewell Echoes

Thursday brought disappointment for top British men Dan Evans and Jack Draper.

Draper, seeded No. 4, lost in four sets to a resurgent Marin Čilić. In his post-match press conference, Draper expressed frustration at media suggestions he was under national pressure. He admitted he hadn’t felt sharp on grass — even going into Queen’s — and wanted to take each match as it came.

The tone echoed Andy Murray’s 2024 Wimbledon farewell speech, in which he confessed he hadn’t fully enjoyed his 2013 triumph due to the weight of national expectation. Draper may deflect pressure, but the parallels feel hard to ignore.

Raducanu’s Return

On Friday, British women’s No. 1 Emma Raducanu fell to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, but not without a fight.

Sabalenka later praised Emma’s performance in the press, calling their third-round clash “a battle” and adding that Raducanu will get back to the top if she keeps playing like this.

Raducanu has since extended her coaching partnership with Mark Petchey, setting the stage for a long-term comeback.

Thunder and Lightning

British women’s No. 3 Sonay Kartal made it to the second week, reaching the fourth round before falling to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Centre Court.

To mark her Centre Court debut, Kartal had a lightning bolt and thundercloud tattooed on her right forearm — a tribute to the storm that cracked overhead as she stepped onto Centre for the first time.

Meanwhile, men’s British No. 2 Cameron Norrie had a storming campaign of his own, reaching the quarter-finals before falling to Novak Djokovic.

89 Years of Hurt

It had been 89 years since an all-British men’s doubles team lifted the Wimbledon trophy. That drought ended this year as Lloyd Glasspool and Henry Patten delivered a landmark victory — and with it, a long-overdue celebration.

In the Mixed Doubles, the all British pair Joe Salisbury and Luisa Stefani reached the final, narrowly losing 7–6(3), 7–6(3) to Sem Verbeek and Katerina Siniaková in two heartbreaking tie-breaks.

Never Stop Dreaming

Wimbledon 2025 was a fortnight full of belief, breakthroughs, and British brilliance. From first-time heroes to returning stars, the roar of the crowd — whether from Henman Hill or Centre Court — felt louder, prouder, and more hopeful than ever.

Memories of 2013 still echo. But now, British tennis is no longer just remembering — it’s rewriting.

Image by Elodie Cowan