Grand Slam Champion Plays at Goring Tennis Club

It was only a regular, run of the mill, Newbury League Mixed Doubles Division 3 match at home to Wantage, but the opposition contained a lady of some pedigree.

Shirley Brasher, the lady playing in the first pair, a stalwart of British women's tennis from the mid fifties to the early seventies and latterly as the holder of several National age group singles titles including the over 65 Ladies singles Grass Court title in 2002 and 2003 and the Clay Court title in 2002.

In 1957, under her maiden name of Shirley Bloomer, she won both the French Women's Singles and Women's Doubles (in partnership with the American Darlene Hard). She was also runner up in the singles in 1958.

She continued to play at Wimbledon until the early seventies and made the quarter finals in 1969, losing in the last 16 to the Australian, Judy Dalton (nee Tegart), who went on to lose to Billie-Jean King 9-7, 7-5 in the final.

Her other claim to fame (if she needs one) is that she was married (until his death in February 2003) to Chris Brasher who was not only the ''father" of the London Marathon but also an Olympic Gold Medallist (3000m Steeplechase - Melbourne 1956) and one of the pacemakers that helped Roger Bannister break the four minute mile in 1954.

Who says nothing different happens at Goring Tennis Club?