The Grand Slam Tennis Challenge
The activities within this challenge involved different tennis skills that could be played anywhere, with any equipment.
Everyone who took part received a certificate and the top three teams in each category also received medals!
This year 23 teams and 305 people took part in the Grand Slam Tennis Challenge and the overall winners were: Folkestone, Hythe and District Mencap.
The full table of results from the 2022 Mencap Grand Slam Tennis challenge
Overall
- Folkestone, Hythe and District Mencap
- Me Time, Game, Set & Match – Denton
- No Barriers Riverside
Australian Open
- Tennis Able & Folkestone, Hythe and District Mencap (Joint leaders)
- No Barriers Riverside
- Southbourne Tennis Club & Omagh Cheetahs 4.88 (Joint third)
Wimbledon
- Bournemouth Gateway
- Folkestone, Hythe & District Mencap & Me Time, Game, Set & Match – Denton & Doncaster Mencap Thorne Road Smile (A three way tie for second)
- Teamwork Well
French Open
- No Barriers Riverside & Omagh Cheetahs (Joint leaders)
- John Charles Tennis Centre
- Me Time, Game, Set & Match – Denton
US Open
- Multisports Club & Doncaster Mencap Thorne Road Smile (Joint leaders)
- John Charles Tennis Centre
- Folkestone, Hythe & District Mencap
What was needed
One of the great things about this challenge was that each activity could be played using any type of equipment.
Participants did not need to have any tennis equipment as bringing along a frying pan and pair of socks worked equally well!
The 2022 Grand Slam Tennis Challenge comprised of four separate activities named after famous tennis championships around the world, and each one had three different skill levels.
Each team picked their appropriate difficulty and then recorded their scores on a team sheet.
Why not watch the demonstration videos and try some of the challenges yourself to see how well you can do?
1. The Australian Open
In this video, Grace demonstrates the three different levels for the moving challenge.
Level One: Sidestep between two object 1m apart.
Level Two: Sidestep between two objects 2m apart and touch the object each time.
Level Three: Move in a figure of 8 between objects 3m apart, touching the object each time. How many times can you do this in one minute?
2. Wimbledon
Rhys demonstrates the three different levels for the sending challenge.
Level One: Standing 1m away from a box or similar, try and throw a ball (or other object) into it.
Level Two: Standing 2m away from a box or similar, try and throw a ball (or other object) into it.
Level Three: standing 3m away from a box or similar, try hitting the ball with your racquet into it. Try 10 times and record your score!
3. The French Open
Watch how Matt demonstrates the three different levels for the serving challenge.
Level One: Hit a ball of a bottle or similar object.
Level Two: Standing 2m away, hit the ball over a net or chair.
Level Three: Standing 2m away, hit the ball over a net or chair, aiming for a target on the other side.
Do each 10 times and record your score!
4. The US Open
In this video Lily demonstrates the three different levels of the rally challenge.
Level One: Try and keep a balloon up in the air, do it alone or with a partner.
Level Two: Using your hand or a racquet, hit a ball against a wall, or to a partner.
Level Three: Using a racquet, rally with your partner in the garden or over the net of a tennis court. How many times can you hit it in one minute!