By RJ Mitchell
GB international Libby Fletcher believes that this weekend’s Spanish training camp can lay the foundations for success next year.
A 20-strong squad of GB veterans spanning all ages from over-40 to over-60 arrived at the Reserva Club in Sotogrande yesterday and immediately embarked on a three-hour training session.
The camp, which is sponsored by Padelshack, will culminate tomorrow in a friendly match with a top side from Madrid which includes professionals in its ranks.
With Fletcher and Tennis World Middlesbrough head coach Nigel Garton taking the training sessions and a further camp planned for Derby later this year, Fletcher is confident that can all help make 2023 a very ‘Happy New Year’.
Libby said: “The Reserva Club has allowed us to have five courts running with lots of tactical work being done and there are plenty of drills and then all of that work will be put to the test on Saturday and Sunday with the match against the club from Madrid.
“The age-groups present start with over-40 then go all the way up to over-60s which is a new group and this all stems from last year when there was no over-60 group in the ladies tournament at the world championships.
“Really we are delighted to be holding a GB seniors squad camp here in Sotogrande and we started yesterday with a three-hour camp then we had four hours training today and on Saturday we have a friendly match with a club from Madrid which will see all 20 of us get high level match time.
“The Madrid side will include the ex pro Belen Castrillo De La Cruz and we are really looking forward to that and seeing how the Spanish approach things tactically and technical in a match environment.”
Right now FIP have still to confirm whether 2023 will host a World Championship or European Championship but of one thing Fletcher is sure and that is whatever the championship the GB Ladies Veterans will be prepared.
The Tennis World Middlesbrough ace said: “At the moment FIP haven’t announced anything but we are planning for the European Championships although because of what happened with COVID it could be the World Championships.
“That said although we don’t know which one it will be we do know that for sure there will be a major team tournament early next year and we want to make sure we are well prepared for that.
“We have already had one training camp at Surge Padel Harrogate and a friendly match with Ireland which was also there and that served as a great starting point and a good solid way to start our preparations.
“After this camp we will have another at Derby and then another one in February possibly abroad. The organisation is down to Sally Fisher and Antonia Hunt while me and Nigel Garton are taking care of the coaching duties.
“It is all structured and we have the whole year planned out. We are building on our eighth-place finish at the world championships and everyone is really motivated.
“There is no doubt that the better organised you are and the more work you put in the more you look forward to the competitions.
“We feel that we have good depth across all the age groups and there is so much enthusiasm for the sport and the other great thing is that as a group we all get on very well.
“All we need now is to know what tournament will be up first.”
At the last veterans World Championships GB enjoyed a creditable eighth placed finish but for the over-60 ladies side there was no competition and that is something that Fletcher has revealed there is an increasingly strong call to add this category.
Fletcher revealed: “So countries from all around the world have taken this up as there was an over-60 category for the men in the world champs but not but not the ladies, so we are fighting for that.
“We have four over-60s and they are all very highly motivated and it is great to have them with us for the camp. For girls like Sally Bickerton, Helen Crook, Nicky Jenkins, Sally Fisher, who has done such a great job organising the camp, they are desperate to represent their country and I’d imagine it is the same across that age group.
“So hopefully FIP will listen to the call and create this category as it will only benefit the ladies game.”
It has been a busy week for Fletcher who was part of the ‘open’ GB Ladies team which lost out at the semi-final stage to the Swedes at We Are Padel Derby last weekend and just failed to qualify for the Dubai World Championships.
And Fletcher admits that the Sotogrande sojourn has been the ideal pick me up to help cure that disappointment: “Everyone was very disappointed not to make it to Dubai but we came up against very strong opposition in Sweden who are hugely experienced at the very top level and playing them was a fantastic experience for all the girls.
“So the opportunity to focus on the veterans camp and come over here and spend time with the vets squad really was a case of perfect timing in that respect.”
