Dalbeattie wheelchair tennis player Keith Thom has taken part in his first international tournament for two years.
The first world ranking event in Britain of 2022 took place at the Bolton Arena and attracted many of the top 50 players in the world for the ITF3 category tournament.
A lengthy lay off due to the coronavirus pandemic had seen Keith’s world ranking from from 150 to 384, with the aim now being to start climbing the rankings again.
Unfortunately, results didn’t go Keith’s way in the early stages. In the doubles, he and partner Garreth Greene of Ireland were knocked out in the quarter-finals by the strong German pairing of Dittmar and Wilke, who are ranked 50 in the world.
In the singles, he was handed a bye before being knocked out in the quarter-finals once more, Wales’ Kevin Lewis winning in two sets as he defeated Keith for the first time. This was disappointing result although understandable due to lack of competitive matches at this level over the last two years as well as overall fitness levels. Keith was also the oldest player in the draw.
As a result of his singles tie, Keith was promoted to the consolation event and comfortably got through his earlier rounds to reach the final. Up against Przemyslaw of Poland – a much younger and higher ranked player – Keith struggled with the pace of the game and lost out in two sets.
Should anyone wish to sponsor Keith during this season please contact him direct on 07821526388 for further information.
