T&RA Real Tennis Awards

Paul Weaver was awarded volunteer of the year. Bertie Vallet was awarded the best junior performance award. Chris Ronaldson was presented with a lifetime achievement award.

Retiring T&RA Chairman, David Watson, commemorated the volunteer of the Year, T&RA Director of Junior Tennis, Paul Weaver, who managed to hold numerous events, including the Junior British Open, during breaks in the lockdown. Paul has run this prestigious event for the last 21 years. A true servant to Real Tennis, Paul has been instrumental in generating many of today’s top players and professionals who first picked up a racquet at Seacourt.

Bertie Vallat (Queen’s) was presented with the Grays Junior of the Year award following his own successful year winning the Under 16 Open Championship in the Summer.

A lifetime achievement award was presented to Chris Ronaldson (Radley) who has dedicated an astonishing 50 years in service to the game. During this time, he has revived courts and clubs and was instrumental behind the Radley Court built in 2008. David Watson’s citation: "I believe it is the first such - a lifetime achievement award - is being presented to an individual who, in my view, has done more to shape and enhance the future of Real Tennis in this country, and internationally, than any other individual. Chris Ronaldson was a great world champion between 1981 and 1987 - a proud and impressive achievement - but it is not primarily for this that I bestow this award. Earlier this year, Chris completed 50 years as a club professional. I can state with complete confidence that he has transformed and revolutionised every club he has worked at. His drive, work ethic and commitment are unparalleled and he has built thriving new clubs from scratch just as he has re-energised those suffering in troubled times. From the start of his career when he was drawn from Oxford to launch the new two court Melbourne facility, returning back to the U.K. to Troon where he and Les generated almost 90 hours of play in a week and then to Hampton Court where the court was only getting eight or nine hours of play a week and now regularly exceed 100 hours. He and Les brought life and energy to a club covered in dust and cobwebs and I vividly remember the procession of future stars who came to work and learn their craft at the feet of the master. More recently on to Radley, to build a whole new membership and activity from zero-base to it becoming one of the most active courts in the country. And most recently Bristol where he and Maggie are doing an amazing job to renew and revitalise this great facility. Chris has always been ready to offer his advice and expertise to all who have sought it but he has never courted recognition or reward for all that he has done. He and Les ran the British junior tournament for many years, he was a driving force behind the RTO handicap system and has led many other quiet programs that could easily have earned him the volunteer of the year award. His achievements are too numerous to mention! This trophy takes the form of a handcrafted racquet made by his friend Graham Highland and I know he will treasure it and the grateful recognition that goes alongside it. The inscription says “Presented by the T&RA to Chris Ronaldson in appreciation of a lifetime of selfless dedication to Real Tennis”.

Bertie - Gray’s Junior of the Year Paul Weaver - Volunteer of the Year Chris Ronaldson, Lifetime Achievement Award