The Paul Norris Tournament (Club Annual Charity Tournament) 

The Annual Club Charity event is the Paul Norris Tournament which started in 2004. Paul Norris was a popular, social club player who joined Dunmow Tennis Club in the 1990s. He battled cancer for a few years, but sadly died in November 2003. 

The event is a mixed doubles tournament in which pairs are drawn on the day. In each match, pairs play 3 games with their partner and then 3 against. Individuals total the number of games won and lost. At the conclusion of the Tournament the man and lady with highest individual scores are declared the winners. The winners are each presented with a bottle of wine. 

Entrants each pay a £10 (currently) entry fee which, with a small club contribution, is donated to The Brain Tumour charity. 

The Nicholson Tournament 

Peter Nicholson donated a trophy in 1976 that became The Nicholson Tournament. The competition is a Mixed Handicap competition - pairs are drawn randomly on the day. The format depends on the number of entrants. More often than not the numbers average 14-16 creating up to 8 pairs. Pairs play a round robin following the handicap scoring system: 

First game - normal scoring is followed. 

When a couple wins a game they start the next game at minus 15, this means serving starts to the add court (wrong side) and they have to win an extra point to get to "love”. This can lead to interesting scores such as 30/ minus 15 or minus 15/ 15. 

If the same couple go on to win the next game they then start at minus 30 i.e. having to win 2 extra points. (serving starts as normal) If, however, the other couple wins the second game the score starts at ‘Love all’. 

After the third game, if the same couple has won all 3 games they will still start at minus 30. If the other couple wins the third game, the score will revert to minus 15 for the original winning couple. Similarly, after the fourth game the score might revert to starting "Love all” or to minus 30 again for the original winning couple etc. 

Matches are limited to either 5, 6 or 7 games - the decision lies with the Tournament organiser on the day. The winners are the pair with the greatest game difference.

Players each pay an entry fee (currently) £10 which funds the food refreshments.  

The Hopkins Tournament 

The Hopkins Trophy was donated approximately 70 years ago by Sidney Hopkins. Sidney owned the electrical shop in the High Street near the bus stop. The shop was subsequently taken over by Eastern Electricity and is now the Flitch Bar. Sid Hopkins is also an ex Club President. 

The Hopkins Tournament is the Club’s Mixed Open Tournament. Players choose their partner and there is no requirement to be a Club member. 

The Tournament is limited to 10 pairs. The pairs are divided into two groups. In each group pairs play a round robin; each match is 1 set. The top two pairs from each group have a play-off; 1s v 2s, again a single set. The winners of the two matches play a final single set. 

The winners are awarded the Hopkins Shield which is engraved with the names of the winning pair. The entry fee is £10 (currently) per pair which funds refreshments. 

Month normally scheduled: June 

Lillian Mitchell Generation Tournament now The Lillian Mitchell Family Fun Day

The Generation Tournament has been played every year at Dunmow Tennis Club for almost 3 decades. The competition was renamed The Lillian Mitchell Generation Tournament in 2017 in honour of Lillian who sadly passed away in February 2017 after a long battle with cancer. 

Lillian was a long standing club member and a key supporter of all junior events. As a former school tutor she had taught several of our junior members and was well known to all. 

The event is one of the most important in the club calendar and traditionally takes place on a summer Sunday. An adult club member partners a junior member with the winners being awarded a trophy. The format changes every year depending on the number of entries.  Since 2022 the focus of the event has been family fun rather than competition provided by our coach, George and member volunteers.

Each year Lillian’s family selects a charity to support. The donation made to the charity consists of entry fees, individual contributions and a donation from the Club. 

The Cowell Cup 

The Cowell Cup was established in honour of the Club President (Tom Cowell) in September 2003. Tom has been a member of the Club for over 40 years. Now well into his 90s Tom has seen much of the World; he joined the Navy in 1943 and was part of the Allied invasion of Sicily. Tom had hoped to serve at sea but because he was careless enough to have a bike licence he was initially asked to operate as a dispatch rider on the east side of Sicily. A keen sportsman throughout his life, he boxed for the Army and played competitive Football and Hockey. Tom supported the Tennis Club for many years and for much of his time he volunteered for the unsung but vital role of Club Treasurer. 

The Cowell Cup is a Mixed Doubles event. Players are drawn out of a hat on the day to create two groups. The top two pairs in each group play a semi final and a final. Each player pays an entry fee (currently) £5 to cover refreshment costs.