Formed in 1936, the North Kent Lawn Tennis Association's primary role is to promote the game to all ages and organise inter club league and cup competitions for its associated members tennis clubs located in Bexley, Bromley, Dartford, Greenwich, Gravesham, Lewisham and Sevenoaks.

The Association runs Summer and Winter leagues and an annual cup competition.The North Kent leagues are in the doubles format for Ladies, Men, Mixed and Vets.
The cup competition also includes Ladies and Men's singles, Ladies and Men's Vets doubles and Junior Boys and Girls U14 Singles.

North Kent Cup 2026

The finals of the North Kent Lawn Tennis Association Club Singles & Pairs Championships for the 84th year were held on Sunday July 26, this time on the grass courts of The Parklangley Club on the outskirts of Beckenham.

With weather conditions stabilising from grey morning skies to partly cloudy but largely blue, the event got underway promptly at 12 noon with the Men’s Singles, Ladies Doubles and Girl’s U-14 singles on suitably spaced courts. Both singles finals concluded within the hour, with Blackheath (Alejandro Tafor) taking the trophy on a match tie-break following a 6-0, 1-6 scoreline, and Sundridge Park (Isabella Colasuonno) beating Shooters Hill (Anna Putman) 6-0, 6-1, while the Ladies Doubles was a more even battle with Bexley (Isla Smith & Emily Thompson) taking the title 7-5, 6-2 from Shooters Hill (Lauren Esler & Ros McKeown).

The second phase of play brought the Ladies Singles, Men’s Doubles and Men’s Vets Doubles. All matches drew large and appreciative audiences, mainly of competing club colleagues, and the Ladies Singles brought two new names to the arena as Shooters Hill (Romane Pepion) fought an even first set with Bromley Wendover (Orla Dorman) at 6-3 but took the second 6-0. Another victory for Sundridge Park (William Everett & Joshua Ward) in the Men’s Doubles over Bromley LTC (Rafai Bentick & Louis Bassett) with an evenly-battled 6-4, 6-3, and another for Sundridge in the Men’s Vets (Hugo Feitor & Gary Le Pla) over Blackheath (Maciej Dolny & Bastien Hibon) with a more convincing g 6-1, 6-0 scoreline.

Three events to conclude the programme as the sun continued to shine on players and spectators, and Sundridge (Tim Schoenert & Martina Jackaninova)  on the winner’s podium again in the Mixed Doubles against a valiant Meopham pair (Louis Latham & Rachel Gillard) with a 6-1, 6-0 scoreline. Sundridge (Hunter George) again in the Boy’s Singles, taking the title 6-3, 6-0 from Bexley (Maxwell Brauer), then the Ladies Veteran’s Doubles completed the session in epic manner with Shooters Hill (Ashling Carroll & Maria Perfect) coming back from a first set deficit of 3-5 to reach and win a tie-break 7-6, lose the second set 1-6, then triumph in a battling match tie-break at 11-9!.

Trophy presentations were made by NKLTA Chair Clive Richardson (first round), NKLTA President Phil Lynch (second round) and Hazel Lindfield, Kent LTA Deputy President (third round). Thanks also to Tournament Organiser Lisa King and Official Kent Referee Graham Silvester, and congratulations on the splendid conclusion of this mammoth task- likewise to event hosts, the management and team of the Parklangley Club.

Clive Richardson