Pupils challenge elderly to tennis to mark Wimbledon finals

TEESSIDE primary school pupils and care home residents celebrated Wimbledon with a match of their own.

96-year-old Joyce Marsay served against an opponent almost nine decades her junior in one game.

The players used homemade rackets and yellow balloon balls to even the playing field.

Joyce, a resident of Ingleby Care Home, Stockton-on-Tees, said: “To play tennis with a homemade racket and balloon was such fun and the young man I was playing definitely wanted to win!”

The activity was part of the care home’s Wimbledon finals celebrations, with residents sharing strawberries and cream with their young visitors.

Pupils from Barley Fields Primary School, in Thornaby, visited the home to share their enjoyment of tennis.

Carol Singleton, home manager at Ingleby Care Home, said: “We’ve got a lot of Wimbledon fans at the home so we wanted to organise a special celebration ahead of the finals weekend.

“We might not have gone through as many strawberries as spectators at the All England Tennis Club but our residents certainly had their fair share with cream while watching the matches on TV.

“Our thanks go to Barley Fields Primary School for visiting and making it an extra-special weekend. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed a few games of tennis and are looking forward to a rematch next year.”