Teenage tennis player recognized as part of 2024 Tennis Black List

Hephzibah Oluwadare, who trains at the GB National Tennis Academy at the University of Stirling, won the Rising Star Award, which aims to promote and showcase new talent in the UK and internationally among players under the age of 25.

Oluwadare said: I would like to thank you for awarding me the Rising Star Award.
I want to thank Anne-Marie (Batson) and Richard (Sackey-Addo) for starting a fantastic initiative to celebrate the excellence of black people within sport.

I want to thank God who kept me healthy throughout this journey and my parents for their unconditional support throughout my career.

I would like to thank Tennis Scotland and the LTA for the many wildcard opportunities and funding they have provided over the years.

Thank you for giving me this award, it will motivate me a lot in my career for the years to come.

This was truly an evening of inspiration and a celebration of the excellence of the black and mixed black community in tennis, both on and off the court.”

Read on as the @tennisblacklist returned to the National Tennis Center

LTA (@the_LTA) June 28, 2024

The National Tennis Centre organised the Tennis Black List 2024, an event honouring tennis role models from the black and mixed black community.

The event, which was founded last year by Anne-Marie Batson and Richard Sackey-Addo, will take place on June 27, 2024 and marks the second year of the Tennis Black List, supported by the LTA, Barclays and YC Sports.

The awards are presented in the run-up to the Wimbledon Championships in nearby Roehampton and recognise the contributions of individuals and organisations from amateur to professional sport in Britain and internationally.

The Tennis Black List follows the example of the successful and respected Football Black List, drawn up by Leon Mann MBE and Rodney Hinds, and the Rugby Black List, which have demonstrated the power of celebrating black excellence in sport.

The event was an opportunity to inspire the next generation in the tennis world, given the dedication the winners showed on and off the court.

During the ceremony, prizes were awarded in eight categories throughout the evening. Several winners were present at the National Tennis Centre.

Oluwadare, from Hemel Hempstead, has twice competed at Junior Wimbledon and helped Scotland to victory at the Junior Four Nations.

She was also part of the Billie Jean King Cup Junior team and became J200 Oberhaching champion in Germany in February this year.

Batson and Sackey-Addo, organisers of Tennis Black List, said: This was truly an inspiring evening and a celebration of the excellence of the black and mixed black community in tennis, both on and off the court.

It is an honor to honor a group of special people who embody this perfectly.

One of the main goals of the Tennis Black List has always been to build a community that provides more opportunities and access to our sport.

Many of our guests are doing amazing work that is positively impacting the lives of so many people by breaking down barriers in the world of sport, and we want to celebrate this and grow it even more.

LTA Chief Executive Scott Lloyd said: It has been incredibly inspiring to once again celebrate all the amazing successes and achievements of the Black and mixed Black heritage communities. The 2024 winners are true role models for all.

Our vision at the LTA is for tennis to be welcoming, enjoyable and inspiring for everyone. We know that seeing and celebrating the success of role models inspires and encourages more people to get involved – whether as a player, coach or volunteer.”

Excellent performance on and off the court: The Tennis Black List #TennisBlackList #2024TennisBlackList #TennisBlackList2024