Special Olympics Camden athlete Adam Brownsword has fulfilled a lifetime ambition by playing on the hallowed turf of the legendary All England Club, Wimbledon.
Adam, who was diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and an intellectual disability as a child, participated in a two-day tournament on the world’s most prestigious grass courts after qualifying for the LTA Play Your Way to Wimbledon Learning Disability finals.
Based in Folkestone, Kent, Adam was one of eight players in the mixed Learning Disability finals, having qualified through four events in the LTA learning disability competitions held in Leeds, Gosling, Pershore, and Redbridge.
I was really nervous going into the event, as I’ve always dreamed of playing at Wimbledon. I’ve been watching the tournament for years, and it’s why I started playing tennis. But I soon settled once I got started.
“I haven’t played a lot of grass court tennis, and it was difficult to adjust from the usual hard-court surfaces; even tougher than transitioning from clay courts. However, it was an incredible experience, and it was great to have friends there watching me.”
Adam began playing tennis at age 12 after being inspired by Sir Andy Murray’s gold medal-winning performance at Wimbledon during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Now 24, he plays between five and seven hours of tennis each week at Polo Farm Sports Club in Canterbury and competes regularly in the LTA learning disability competition program across the country.
He was selected to represent Team Special Olympics GB at last year’s Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, where he teamed up with London-based athlete Lily Mills to win gold in the mixed doubles, and finished fourth in the singles competition.
“I’ve known Lily for years, and it was amazing to play alongside her at the World Games in Berlin,” said Adam. “I was so pleased to see her get an opportunity to play in the Australian Open, and it inspired me to look at what opportunities might be possible at other Grand Slam venues.”
Adam is an Athlete Leader and a qualified Level 1 tennis coach. In addition to playing, he regularly helps coach the under-10s age group at Polo Farm. He also competes in basketball and plays at Safe Haven Basketball as part of Special Olympics Camden.
“Through my athlete leadership and coaching experience, I would love to develop a learning disability tennis group and make it part of the Special Olympics GB movement. I’ve really enjoyed coaching, and it would be great to expand this and create more opportunities in the sport within Kent. However, for now, I’m loving playing and competing, and the opportunity to play at Wimbledon has made me want to experience more.”
For further details on the LTA learning disability competition programme, click here.