The IC of Sweden win the 2025 Wallenberg Trophy

This year Great Britain hosted the Wallenberg Trophy. Teams of 4-7 players from the ICs of Great Britain, Sweden, Germany and France played age group singles and mixed doubles. M45, M55, L35, L45.

St Georges Hill was the venue, and what a venue, coupling tradition with the contemporary in every sense from the cuisine, the excellent staff and facilities made available to the international visitors.

This year the Match Manager extended the format to make the event both more challenging and hence rewarding by playing three full days of tennis, with each team facing each other in a round robin format. Each match consisted of four singles (M45, M55, L35, L45) and two mixed doubles (M55/L45, M45/L35) rubbers, each with a championship tie break in the third set if required. Any matches resulting in 3-3 at the end of the day would be decided by a ‘free for all’ championship tie break. With only one point up for grabs from each match, the potential for high drama, tie break shootouts took the atmosphere to a daily fever pitch.

The international teams were not taking this competition lightly, each fielding players with excellent current and previous world seniors rankings and a smorgasbord of quality ex-professionals.

Day 1: Practice

Crucial to doing well was arriving early for the practice day. The ‘all weather’ artificial clay courts required for the event would prove unusual for the international visitors, and familiarity counts for a lot.

Introductions, welcome drinks and dinner in the evening, set the scene for a great three days of competition.

Day 2: Match day 1

Day 3: Match day 2

Prior to the final day of matches, any one of three teams could still win the trophy. Only France was unable to take the overall victory, but could they stave off Sweden for Great Britain or Germany to win.

Day 4: Match day 3

Overall champions of the Wallenberg Trophy were Sweden. A congratulatory speech was made by Peter Harding, Captain of the IC of Great Britain and a trophy presented to take the place of the Wallenberg Trophy the German team should have brought with them but as they allegedly thought they would win it again it was not included in their luggage to bring to the fixture!

Thanks go to Nicola Henesy who volunteered to be match court coordinator over the three days and ensuring the players were all in the right place at the appointed time, no mean feat!

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