Neighbourhood rivalries
Rivalries in south London
It started out in 2001 as a means of promoting tennis clubs in Streatham to the local community and has turned into a closely-fought inter-club annual campaign of friendly rivalries.
The Millennium Cup was the brainchild of Barbara Wancke, then Secretary of Woodfield Grove Tennis Club, who conceived the idea to celebrate the new millennium and create activities for its growing membership.
Barbara Wancke hands Murray Sutton the trophy after defeating rivals Telford Park
She applied to the Millennium Festival Awards for All Committee for a grant from Sport England to cover the start-up costs – including publicity, court and balls – for a new event to draw together clubs in the neighbourhood.
Woodfield Grove had benefited from an £840,000 Sport England grant to completely refurbish its premises and re-opened its doors in October 1999, prompting other local clubs to apply for funding for similar development projects.
As a result of her efforts, the Millennium Cup was granted £1,196 to fund its initial pilot scheme as part of the Millennium Celebrations.
The competition, however, did not actually get off the ground until the following spring because of Wigmore Lawn Tennis Club’s refurbishment works over the summer of 2000.
The idea was to provide opportunity for the promotion of new activities within each club involving members and the training of volunteers.
Teams were to be made of squads of players in varying age groups, while others could participate as on-court officials, ball kids and/or volunteers manning the services at the clubs during each tie.
The Millennium Cup trophy silver plinth
It was hoped to attract spectators from all the participating clubs as well as the wider community and provide a means of fund-raising through the sale of refreshments and snacks.
The intent of the competition is to involve players who do not ordinarily play for their clubs in county events and so give them an opportunity to compete in matches at a local level.
In order to keep the standard equitable, the Committee agrees with each club to exclude specific team players.
Each club has to find players to compete in the following disciplines at each tie:
Singles
- 16 & Under Boys
- 16 & Under Girls
- Men’s Open (no age restriction)
- Women’s Open (no age restriction)
- 45 & Over Men’s
- 40 & Over Women’s
Doubles
- Men’s (no age restrictions)
- Women’s (no age restrictions)
- Mixed (no age restrictions)
Millennium Cup Champions
- 2017 Grafton Tennis & Squash Club
- 2016 Grafton Tennis & Squash Club
- 2015 Telford Park Lawn Tennis Club
- 2015 Millennium Cup Masters
Woodfield Grove Tennis Club - 2014 Wigmore Lawn Tennis Club
- 2013 Woodfield Grove Tennis Club
- 2012 Wigmore Lawn Tennis Club
- 2011 Telford Park Lawn Tennis Club
- 2010 Grafton Tennis & Squash Club
- 2009 Grafton Tennis & Squash Club
- 2008 Telford Park Lawn Tennis Club
- 2007 Wigmore Lawn Tennis Club
- 2006 Telford Park Lawn Tennis Club
- 2005 Telford Park Lawn Tennis Club
- 2004 Telford Park Lawn Tennis Club
- 2003 Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club
- 2002 Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club
- 2001 Wigmore Lawn Tennis Club
While the ambitious plans to involve club members in umpiring never caught on, the Millennium Cup has turned into a popular participant event for club members.
By exempting the best players in each club, new members get the chance to turn out for their clubs in a friendly competition and giving them a taste for match play that promotes healthy rivalries amongst our clubs.