As the domestic tennis season draws to a close with the onset of winter, the All England Community Sports Centre comes alive for one last hurrah. Scheduled for Saturday, 30 November 2025, the Surrey Showcase pulls out all the stops for one of the last major events of the home counties' tennis circuit. Bright banners are unfurled and neatly arranged exhibitor stands line the high-ceilinged courts, and the persistent pop of tennis balls mixes with the excited chatter of attendees visiting the Showcase.
More than just another exhibition, the Showcase serves as a catalyst for collaboration amongst the county’s tennis community. Casual conversations between club volunteers might lead to a new junior programme, coaches swap training methods, and suppliers reveal the latest equipment and court technologies to tempt prospective club owners and trainers into purchasing. Frequented by a mixture of tennis officials, prominent club staff, aspiring players and coaches, with a sprinkle of ex-pros thrown in for good measure, it's a well-established event yet accessible within the tennis community.
Esteemed coach Mark Taylor, a former LTA Performance Coach of the Year nominee, has been a repeat guest, offering workshops on talent development. Rising Surrey-born star Ella Shepherd, fresh from representing England at the ISF World Championships, has taken part in product trials and met with aspiring juniors. Meanwhile, industry veterans such as Paul Edwards, whose court installation firm has resurfaced facilities for both local clubs and elite training centres, use the event to offer sneak peaks at exciting new products before they reach the wider market, underscoring the Showcase’s dual role as a community event as well as a serious fixture on the wider industry circuit.
Grassroots Tennis at its Finest
Although the Surrey Tennis Showcase is a comparatively recent addition to the county’s sporting calendar, it stands on the shoulders of over a century of celebrated tennis heritage. The county has long been a hotbed for the sport, playing host to prestigious tournaments such as the Surrey County Championships, originally known as the Surbiton Open, which began in 1890. This grass-court tournament became a major pre-Wimbledon warm-up, attracting top international players and cementing Surrey’s reputation for world-class tennis facilities, although it has now since been eclipsed by events such as Queen’s.
Whereas the earlier tournaments focused on elite competition, the Surrey Tennis Showcase focuses on connection, endeavouring to bring together every layer of the game from grassroots volunteers and club organisers to nationally recognised coaches and rising stars. In that sense, the Showcase is not an isolated event, but more of a continuation of a well-established story, where tennis remains at the forefront of the community.
The Showcase set-up
The Surrey Tennis Showcase is carefully structured. Surrounding the main courts, exhibition stalls feature everything from racket manufacturers and stringing services to court builders, clothing brands, and fitness specialists. Live sessions take place throughout the day, offering a chance to see the latest coaching techniques and training aids in action.
Workshops delivered by experienced coaches cover a wide range of topics, aiding the development of junior pathways, maximising club membership retention, incorporating inclusive tennis programmes, and adapting to the growing interest in padel. The Showcase also honours the dedication of individuals whose work often happens out of sight. By blending trade fair elements with live sport, knowledge-sharing, and community recognition, the Showcase ensures that every visitor leaves both inspired and often with a few more contacts.
A Cornerstone of the Tennis Circuit
At a local level, the Surrey Tennis Showcase is unmatched in its ability to bring together the county’s tennis community. It provides practical solutions to common club challenges, from upgrading floodlights to energy-efficient models, exploring new funding streams, or introducing formats like cardio tennis to attract and retain members. For small village clubs with limited resources, the opportunity to meet suppliers face-to-face and learn more can be invaluable to the survival of their clubs.
The Showcase acts as a testbed for ideas, helping to strengthen the infrastructure that underpins elite tennis not only in Surrey, but in national training venues, reinforcing the county’s place on the national tennis map. While Wimbledon may be the most famous tennis location in the country, it is events like the Showcase that ensure the sport’s roots remain strong and capable of nurturing the next generation, complementing the major tournaments by sustaining the grassroots and club systems that feed into them, which are, in essence, the very lifeblood of tennis around the world.
What’s in store for 2025
As the 2025 edition approaches, anticipation is already building. The All England Community Sports Centre will once again be transformed into a hub of activity and will see hundreds flock through its doors for another addition. Attendees will have the chance to try new equipment, learn from top coaches, and connect with service providers who can help their clubs grow.
For those attending for the first time, the Showcase represents the opportunity to ingratiate themselves within a well-established, yet welcoming community that takes tennis seriously, having helped pioneer the sport’s growth for almost 150 years. For members of said community, it's the opportunity to not only catch up with colleagues and maintain established relationships, but also a chance to potentially catch a glimpse at the next steps for tennis as a sport, and see what the future may hold for their beloved game.
