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Youngster serves up tennis-a-thon challenge

John Devine
BBC News, Cambridgeshire
Reporting fromChatteris
John Devine/BBC Oliver Appleby, 18, has brown hair with a fringe over his eyes. He has dark rimmed glasses and is wearing a lime coloured T-shirt. He is holding a tennis racquet. Behind him is the hard court.John Devine/BBC
Oliver Appleby said he would be on court for a few hours more than the longest ever Wimbledon tie in 2010, which lasted 11 hours and five minutes

A tennis-loving teenager is taking part in a 14-hour marathon match to raise funds for his beloved scout group.

Oliver Appleby, 18, has been a member of Chatteris Tennis Club in Cambridgeshire since he was six - the same age he became a beaver scout.

People are paying to play him and sponsoring him while he is on court from 07:00 until 21:30 BST on Saturday, as he makes the most of the available daylight.

He is well prepared for the hot weather and will be wearing a hat, sunscreen and taking breaks. His mother, Anne, said she was very proud of her son, adding: "I think he is amazing."

John Devine/BBC Oliver Appleby holding two colourful neckerchiefs and he has one around his neck. Behind him is the hard tennis court.John Devine/BBC
Oliver Appleby said he wanted to do something to push himself mentally and physically and the tennis-a-thon ticked the boxes

Mr Appleby, from Wimblington, said his passion for tennis and outdoor activities started at a young age.

"Now I am 18 I have become a Network member of the 1st Doddington Scout Group," he said.

"Last year, one of our leaders took us on a summer camp to Belgium - our first international trip in 24 years.

"It went so well we decided to travel to Holland next year, but we need to raise funds for extra activities - so I immediately thought up a tennis-a-thon."

John Devine/BBC Anne Appleby, 60, has light brown hair and is wearing a black and white hooped round collared T-shirt, with a gold chain visible around her neck. She has dark glasses on and is holding a tennis racquet. She is standing on a tennis court.John Devine/BBC
Anne Appleby, 60, said the club had done a lot to help the tennis-a-thon go ahead

Anne Appleby, 60, said Oliver was currently studying and hoped to become a sports journalist in future.

"He got his love of tennis from myself and his gran, my mum," she said.

"She would take me to Wimbledon to watch players like Margaret Court when I was a youngster and we always watched it on telly."

Mrs Appleby said Oliver took to tennis "like a duck to water" and the tennis-a-thon married "his passion for scouting and his passion for tennis wonderfully".

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