Phillips keeps on winning - and climbing national tennis rankings

With no losses against weaker rated players this season, Phillips has easily met the LTA’s requirement of a 60 per cent win ratio to secure the increase.

Phillips has had some close matches this season against tough opponents. Phillips clinched a win against Sophia Thomas, a semi-pro who is Kent’s under-18 county closed champion. The Bromley Tennis Academy player, who has a wealth of experience and plays in the GB Pro-Series Open (ladies) events, battled well but Phillips secured an impressive 7-5, 6-3 win.

Another tough match was against 16-year-old Sian Green, who is 118 in the Open (ladies) GB rankings. Phillips and Green slugged it out and were both determined to win. The gruelling match lasted two-and-a-half hours.

Phillips was triumphant 4-6, 7-6, 10-5.

Essex’s under-16 county closed champion Alexandra Jones was another elite tennis player Phillips managed to beat. Jones has a deadly armoury of lethal top-spin, which she peppered all over the court. Phillips chased the ball down and returned with equal determination to clinch it 7-6, 6-3.

Phillips played Cambridgeshire’s Zoe Douglas, who has a national open (ladies) ranking in the top 100 and has a string of impressive results, including reaching the quarter-final in a number of British Tour events.

Douglas, renowned for having one of the best volleys on the tennis circuit, used her combination of shots to

good effect. Phillips counter-attacked and the first set consisted of some exceptional tennis, with

breath-taking rallies.

Douglas secured the first set 7-6 with a tie-break in a battle lasting an hour and 20 minutes. In the second set, both players made uncharacteristic unforced errors, but despite this, Douglas secured the set 6-3 to win the match in a display of quality tennis.

Phillips plays for her Brighton Parks club and trains on outdoor public courts so any ice or snow makes it impossible to play enough tennis over the winters.

Phillips has joined Chichester Racquets and Fitness Club. Not only does the Chichester club have the use of a ‘bubble’ to provide indoor courts in the winter, but juniors also have access to the gym and fitness

training squads, essential for top tennis players.

Phillips has found the Chichester club and their coaching team extremely welcoming and encouraging to juniors and is delighted to be able to play at such a good venue.