Most of the sporting attention in Oxford goes to the Varsity Boat Race and rugby Varsity matches, which are held at some of the biggest locations in their respective sports, and garner immense crowds. However, there is one sport that often goes under the radar in the Oxford sporting sphere: tennis. With Varsity competitions being held outside of term and summer exam stress reducing free time for many students, it is often hard to keep up with the action, this is why The Oxford Blue caught up with the Oxford University Lawn Tennis Club (OULTC) Captain, Hannah Wilson Kemsley, to learn about how the year looks for a tennis player in Oxford. 

The popularity of tennis in Oxford and further afield

In recent years, certain sports have undergone transformations in levels of participation due to unprecedented media and entertainment coverage. Much like Netflix’s incredibly successful ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ (2019-present), the tennis version; ‘Break Point’ (2023-2024), aired behind-the-scenes access to the lives of players, and to their off-pitch personalities, supercharging individual stardom and intrigue in the sport as a whole. Moreover, the HBO film ‘Challengers’ (2024), which focuses on the lives of three tennis players, appealed to a younger audience, engaging those who had never played before. 

The emergence of tennis in popular culture has often translated to increased recreational participation, which is also evident in the Oxford tennis scene. Speaking about the club’s popularity, Wilson Kemsley highlighted that “one of the main challenges has been managing the scale of the club”, explaining that “we are the largest sports society at Oxford, with over 400 members, most of whom are social players.” Due to the high demand for the “limited court space and coaching availability”, it has been crucial that the team are continuously “making the most of [our] resources [which] has required a lot of planning and coordination.”

Training and Blues

One of the quirks of playing a sport like tennis at the university level is that it is both an individual and a team sport. While it is true that when the player is out on the court, it is only them who can dictate the result of the match, their work nevertheless contributes to the club winning or losing the overall fixture. As such, being able to align your own interests with those of your teammates is something Wilson Kemsley emphasised as being crucial in player recruitment: “Of course technical ability matters, but we also really value attitude and reliability. We look for players who are willing to give their best level of commitment to the team.” She elaborated on this,  highlighting that they’ve “got great captains who help set the tone, and the teams are really supportive of each other. This makes a big difference”.

With such a long winter before the playing season actually begins, a lot of the work put into on-field performance starts months in advance; a rigorous gym and training regime is to be expected of a top Blues sport such as tennis. However, Wilson Kemsley was keen to mention the additional role of nutrition and sports psychology, which gives “players a more rounded approach to their development, both on and off the court.” Additionally, in the cold winter months, it is important that “a lot of the motivation comes from the players themselves” to be consistent with their training and see their hard work pay off in summer.

Varsity in 2025

This year is an important one for the club, with the 135th Varsity Match taking place at the neutral venue of Moor Park. In recent years, the Women’s Blues team has been most successful, with Wilson Kemsley playing a key role over the last two years. Whilst the Men’s Blues has had a tougher time in the recent past, Wilson Kemsley is positive about their chances this summer: “their squad is looking very strong this year.” When she spoke about the importance of Varsity, she mentioned the importance of the combined efforts of the team, highlighting that in her first year, “Oxford won 5 out of 11 Varsity matches, and last year [we] improved that to 6 out of 10.” This year’s Varsity events (from Blues to fifth team) are taking place from 28 to 29 June, in Moor Park for the Blues, and across various college and University venues in Oxford for the second to fifth teams. 

Finishing remarks

Wilson Kemsley finished by adding that “OULTC is a hugely welcoming club for players of all levels, whether you’re a seasoned competitor or completely new to tennis. We run team trials during Freshers’ Week, plus social open days where you can get a feel for what the club’s all about. Memberships open at the start of each term, and if you’re just here for the sunny vibes, there’s a discounted Trinity term option to enjoy the grass court season. We play at Iffley and University Parks, and there are loads of chances to get involved throughout the year. Our weekly Wednesday socials are open to everyone and are a great way to meet people and be part of the club community. My favourite memories of Oxford are of my time at OULTC, both on and off [the] court, and I hope that all of our members feel the same.”