Disclaimer:

As with all my posts, these are the ramblings of a slightly frazzled Upper GI nurse practitioner moonlighting as a junior tennis parent.

Any resemblance to professional advice on hydration, nutrition, or parenting strategy is purely coincidental. For actual medical advice, ask your doctor. For actual tennis coaching, ask literally anyone at Blackbrook Pavilion today who wasn’t me.

When my wife signed our son up for today’s Grade 3 tournament at Blackbrook Pavilion, I thought she was being wildly optimistic.

She’ll tell you the real reason was “supporting the local tennis club.” Me? I suspect it was partly a social experiment to see just how far our son (and, let’s be honest, his parents) could stretch in the world of competitive tennis.

I had a chat with the tournament organiser, Parun Patel, who lamented the fact that not more local players enter these events.

It is a shame.

If your own club runs a tournament and barely anyone from the membership joins, what message does that send? (Hint: possibly that Grade 3 tournaments are not for the faint-hearted).

Tennis Grading – From “Nice Try” to “National Level Monster”

For the uninitiated: LTA tournaments are graded from 7 to 1.

• Grade 7 – Local knockabouts. Imagine tennis but with the vibe of a friendly school sports day.
• Grade 6 & 5 – Slightly more structured, still developmental. Think kids who know which end of the racket to hold.
• Grade 4 – Regional events where competition stiffens, tears become more frequent, and parents start using words like “trajectory” and “consistency.”
• Grade 3 – A serious step up. County-level players, national standard kids, and games where nine-year-olds serve with more accuracy than most adults at their Saturday doubles.
• Grade 2 & 1 – The elite. National and international level. Unless your surname is Raducanu or Murray, best to watch from the stands with a coffee and muffin.

So yes, entering our son into a Grade 3 was always going to be… character-building.

Match One – Kit, the Martock Winner

First up: Kit, who beat our son last week in Martock. Today, however, he pushed Kit to three sets – 3-7, 7-3, 4-7.

That’s progress!

Kit knows now that our boy isn’t easily broken down. Sadly, after this heroic effort came the inevitable: tears, tantrum, and the parental Good Cop/Bad Cop routine. (My wife soothing him; me muttering things like “character is built in losses.”)

Match Two – The Giant Named Ethan

Next up was Ethan Harris. Taller, stronger, older. Another three-setter and another tough loss – 2-7, 9-7, 2-7.

Our son was gutted. My wife’s job: emotional triage. My job: damage limitation

Match Three – The National-Level Buzzsaw

Then came Reggie O’Sullivan. Word in the crowd: “He’s on the national circuit.”

Translation: expect carnage.

And indeed, 3-7, 1-7 felt almost respectable compared to what poor Che endured in the semis (a double 7-0 doughnut).

Honestly, Reggie looked like he could have entered Wimbledon qualifiers on his day off.

Compass Draw Drama

After three losses, our son dropped into the compass draw (positions 5–8). He first faced Max O’Neill – an old opponent from Bideford – who proved too strong again (3-7, 2-7). This left him playing for 7th against Yusef.

And what a battle that was.

• First set: 0-7 (ouch).
• Second set: 12-10 (tenacity personified).
• Third set: 10-12.

Three hours later, two shattered nine-year-olds left everything on court.

Parents on both sides were clapping in genuine admiration.

Even though our son lost, this was the kind of match where the result almost didn’t matter (though don’t tell him that… yet).

Reflections – Character Over Scorelines

So: his first tournament without a single win since his Somerset debut in Bideford back in April 2024. But also, without doubt, the toughest event he’s ever played. Grade 3 is brutal. And yet, he kept fighting. That’s worth far more than an easy win at a softer event.

Our hope? That today built resilience rather than scar tissue. Experience is a funny thing in junior sport – it only pays off later, usually when you least expect it. For now, we’ll roll into Tennis Camp on Wednesday and then holidays.

The Great Drink Break Controversy

One final side note: during the last set against Yusef, both boys – visibly exhausted – asked the young umpire for a drink break. The umpire denied them.

Now, I’m no rulebook aficionado, but even Yusef’s parents thought it was harsh.

LTA Rules check:

Players are allowed a “reasonable break” for drinks at the end of sets.

Between games, they are allowed up to 90 seconds (changeover) and 120 seconds (between sets). Denying both kids water in 20°C heat after nearly three hours? That felt unnecessarily strict. Next time, I’ll bring a jug, cups, and perhaps a legal brief.