Ranah Stoiber's talent was first spotted by Dukes Meadows Schools Programme team

Schoolgirl Ranah Stoiber has won her first national tennis title in the U10 Winter Tour at the National Tennis Centre. The victory comes three years after she was picked for coaching by the Chiswick-based Dukes Meadows Schools Programme which gives local children the opportunity to play tennis.

“I’m going to win more Grand Slams than Steffi Graff,” said ecstatic FC Junior Academy player Ranah after winning her first National title on Sunday. She added that it felt “amazing” to win the U10 Winter Tour Trophy, which now sits in a prime spot on her shelf at home.

James Lenton, FC Tennis Academy director, couldn’t be happier for Ranah. He watched from the sidelines at the National Tennis Centre with Ranah’s family as she tore up the court. “I was quite nervous at the beginning after my opponent won the first set,” said Ranah. But after a few encouraging words from coach James, Ranah made a fantastic come back, turning around multiple match points to level the match 1 set all before racing to an impressive third set tie break shoot out victory, 10 points to 4.

Ranah joined the High Performance Programme at Dukes Meadows back in 2013 after the coaches running the Schools Programme identified her as having great potential.

Since then her school, St Michaels & St Martins in Heston, has been incredibly supportive with Ranah’s training schedule, enabling her to become the brilliant and dedicated player she is.

The FC Tennis Academy is an LTA grant funded facility that provides an integrated programme of educational and sporting development. Ranah trains within the Junior Academy alongside other children who are also competing in tournaments at the highest levels in the UK and across Europe.

Tennis may be getting serious for Ranah now, but it’s refreshing to see she still finds it as “fun and interesting” as the first time she played.

March 1, 2016