Cumbrian becomes Wimbledon tennis champion at 60

Cumbrian Gary Payton has been crowned a Wimbledon champion at the age of 60.

He won both the singles and doubles competition in his age category. He is hoping that his achievements will see him called up for the Great Britain team at the World Championships next year.

Speaking about his experience of playing and winning at Wimbledon Gary said: "You walk through the gates and to play on the courts is amazing and to get to see all of the iconic buildings.

"I played 10 matches in that week and probably had one bad bounce all week so it is just like playing on a carpet. It was really nice and I enjoyed every minute of it.

“The singles final went pretty smoothly although all matches are pretty difficult. The singles score was 6-1, 6-2, much closer than it seems. The doubles final was 6-3, 6-4."

Entering into his seventh decade Gary still coaches at Keswick and Braithwaite Tennis Club and hopes to make it back to representing Team GB.

He said: "I set a couple of goals for this year. I am hoping to tick them both. One was to win one of the biggest events and I am probably lucky because I have won the biggest.

"The second was to get back in the GB team for the world championships next year. Hopefully the Wimbledon win will bag me a place in that team."

Gary has been playing tennis since he was 12 and sees no reason why he would ever contemplate giving up the game he loves.

He said: "I don’t envisage a time where I will do that. There are still people playing who are 85 on the circuit. I don’t see myself packing it in anytime soon."

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