17-year-old Henry Searle from Wolverhampton achieved a major milestone by winning the Wimbledon boys’ event, becoming the first British champion since Stanley Matthews Jr. in 1962. Searle’s impressive performance saw him defeat Russia’s Yaroslav Damon 6-4, 6-4.
The last person from Great Britain to win the #Wimbledon Boys' Singles crown?
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2023
Stanley Matthews, the son of legendary footballer Sir Stanley Matthews.
Henry Searle, you did it 👏 pic.twitter.com/5XsnnKOMJk
Thriving in the electric atmosphere of the packed No. 1 court, Searle showcased her skills, hitting nine aces and 22 winners en route to victory, which she achieved in 1 hour and 24 minutes.
Notably, he won the title without dropping a set, joining an esteemed list of past winners that includes tennis legends Roger Federer, Björn Borg, Stefan Edberg, and Pat Cash, all of whom have won men’s singles. Won the title.
Expressing his joy, Searle said, “It’s a very special feeling. It’s not going to come around very often, so I’m going to enjoy it. It was amazing to be out on that court today. ” Overcoming the handicap, he rallied to win the first set and an early break in the second proved decisive, allowing the Briton to claim victory on his first match point as Damon stormed back shortly after. .
As Searle prepares to begin his professional career, expectations will undoubtedly be high. However, he maintained a level-headed approach, commenting, “I’ll definitely try and prepare myself for it. I’ll keep working hard, and we’ll see what happens.”
Elsewhere at Wimbledon, Great Britain’s Hannah Klugman and Isabelle Lacey failed to repeat Searle’s success in the girls’ doubles final, as they were beaten 6-4, 7-5 by Alina Kovakova and Laura Samsonova. Although the British pair came back from 5-2 down in the second set to level at 5-5, they were unable to sustain their momentum, and the Czech team took the title.
The girls’ singles title was won by American Kilroy Ngonnoi, who defeated Czech Nikola Bartonkova with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 scoreline to clinch her first junior Grand Slam title.
Meanwhile, wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett’s quest for a maiden singles title at Wimbledon continues as he suffered a third consecutive defeat in the final. Japan’s 17-year-old Tokito Oda won 6-4, 6-2.
On a brighter note for Great Britain, Mark Seiban triumphed in the boys’ under-14 category, defeating Svet Seljic by a scoreline of 7-6 (5), 6-3. However, Holly Smart was unable to secure a victory in the girls’ under-14, as she was defeated by Luna Vujovic by a score of 6-3, 6-1.
