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04
Jul 2024
Harrogate tennis player trains with champions at Wimbledon
A Harrogate man was the hitting partner to two of the world’s best tennis players this week.
22-year-old Tom Linley, a former Ashville College pupil, practised with world number one Carlos Alcaraz and number two, Novak Djokovic, at Wimbledon.
Mr Linley, who plays collegiate level tennis at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, began his tennis career aged 11.
He told the Stray Ferret this was “later compared to others” in his position, adding that his love for the sport sprouted after his parents offered to give their home tennis court a makeover if he learnt to play.
I immediately loved it and played two to three times a week for the next few years after that.
At the age of 14, I chose to take it more seriously and played around four to five times a week – competing in in local tournaments.
Mr Linley later moved to Repton College, near Derby, and said this “helped him develop further”, eventually competing at regional and national level.
In the grand scheme of things, I wasn’t an amazing junior. But, I think starting late gave me a strong worth ethic and the desire to get better.
Before going to university in America, he took a year out to train at the SotoTennis Academy in Spain, where he continues to train when home from the States.
It was at the academy that he made connections in the industry, which led Mr Linley to become a hitting partner at Wimbledon.
This is his second year on the job, he told the Stray Ferret, adding this year he is on the court with “all the top players”.
I have been requested back on court, which is always a good sign! They must’ve enjoyed our practice.
In an interview with Control the Controllables podcast, he said the two training sessions with Alcaraz and Djokovic were “very different”. He added:
Alcaraz was a lot more chilled out. He actually had a match on the day, so it was more of a match warm-up.
He wanted to have a little more fun – he smiled.
Novak was super-intense – in a good way. He’s very detailed.
He plays Kopriva, who apparently hits the ball very flat, so he wanted me to try and do that as much as I could. He’s very detail-oriented.
Tom Linley training with Carlos Alcaraz.
When asked how he deals with the pressure of playing with such big names, Mr Linley said:
With Novak, the guy is, in my opinion, the best tennis player to have ever lived.
You just have to almost see it as... I might never get this opportunity again. You know, just relax and enjoy it.
Mr Linley told the Stray Ferret he has also played with the likes of Emma Radacanu, Holger Rune, Felix Auger Aliassime and Elena Rybakina this year.
After graduating from college, Mr Linley said he will play tennis full-time and “go pro”.
His long-term goal is to rank within the top 400 in the world, he said, adding he hopes to get a wild card into Wimbledon one day.
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