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Felicity Thomas would love chance to play in next year’s Friendship Cup

All Areas > Sport > Tennis

Author: Roger Jackson, Posted: Tuesday, 31st October 2017, 09:00

Felicity Thomas, second from left, with her doubles partner Ruth Weston, left, and, second from right, Jackie Boothman (Dorset) and Joan Hassell (Suffolk) Felicity Thomas, second from left, with her doubles partner Ruth Weston, left, and, second from right, Jackie Boothman (Dorset) and Joan Hassell (Suffolk)

Felicity Thomas has played tennis all over the world.

She has just returned from Orlando in Florida where she played for Great Britain’s over-75s in the World Super Seniors Team Championships.

And although she is almost as well travelled as Prime Minister Theresa May, she has a date in her diary for next June that she would like to make.

It’s in Austria where there’s a match for the Friendship Cup between the Rest of the World and the USA.

Felicity’s name has been put forward by USA star Donna Fales. The tournament is by invitation and subject to subsequent selection. Felicity should hear by the end of November but would love to participate.

If she does get the nod, she’ll be hoping to continue the form that she showed recently in Orlando where she picked up two bronze medals despite the heat and humidity.

In the team event Great Britain were drawn in a very strong group with South Africa, Australia and France, who were seeded three.

GB beat their first two opponents 3-0 but lost 2-1 against France. However, by beating the French No. 1, Felicity secured top spot for GB and earned a play-off for the top three places.

Against Germany, she had to play Heide Orth who is many times a world champion. It was a close first set, but Orth’s experience and expertise told in a match GB lost 3-0.

Against the USA, Felicity played Charleen Hillebrand, another former world champion. She levelled at one-set all, but lost her momentum after the obligatory 10-minute break in a match that GB also lost 3-0.

The second week in Orlando was devoted to the individual championships and in the third round of the singles Felicity came up against the USA’s Sheila Weinstock, who, like Felicity, was a semi-finalist last year.

In searing heat, the match lasted two hours, 40 minutes before Weinstock pulled through in three sets.

All was not lost for Felicity, however, as she teamed up with Surrey’s Ruth Weston to win a bronze in the doubles.

Other Images

Felicity Thomas with husband Gordon in Orlando

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