Louise Hunt Skelley PLY
Louise Hunt at the Games Makers party
Country (sports) Great Britain
ResidenceSwindon,Wiltshire, Great Britain
Born (1991-05-24) 24 May 1991
Wanborough, Wiltshire, Great Britain
Turned pro2006
Retired2021
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Career titles13
Highest rankingNo. 10 (30 November 2015)
Grand Slam singles results
WimbledonQF (2016)
Other tournaments
Paralympic Games1R (2012, 2016)
Doubles
Career titles41
Highest rankingNo. 10 (16 January 2017)
Grand Slam doubles results
WimbledonSF (2015, 2016)

Louise Hunt (born 24 May 1991) is a British wheelchair tennis player who competed in international level events. She was a former world number 2 in the junior wheelchair tennis singles rankings, and 10 in the women’s international rankings. She is a colour badge holder as she competed in 2 Paralympic Games and 13 World Team Cups around the world. She got bronze at the 2011 BNP Paribas World Team Cup and silver medalist at the 2012 BNP Paribas World Team Cup. Louise is now an athlete mentor and unique motivational speaker. Hunt is an international tournament director and professional commentator, commentating at events such and Wimbledon, World masters and the Paralympics.[1][2]

Personal history

Louise started playing wheelchair tennis aged five[3] and became a very successful junior player, winning the girls’ doubles title on three occasions at the Junior Wheelchair Tennis Masters in Tarbes, France. She studied Sports Performance graduating from University of Bath.[4]

Hunt married Christopher Skelley on 3 September 2022 at Holbrook Manor, near Wincanton in Somerset[5]

Louise was born on the 24th May 1991 with a disability called Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Louise has therefore been in a wheelchair her whole life as she has little movement in her lower limbs.

At the age of 5 Louise began participating in many sports, swimming, basketball, fencing and soon discovered she had keen interests in Wheelchair Tennis and Wheelchair Racing. Louise Won 7 out of 10 London Mini Wheelchair Marathons which is an un-official World Record. Alongside this she was also playing Tennis and soon realised this was her real passion. Louise has been playing and competing in Wheelchair Tennis ever since, and in 2012 competed in her first Paralympic Games in London which was a dream come true. Louise also competed in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, qualifying at her highest ever ranking to date of 10 in the World.

In the summer of 2021 Louise decided to retire from competitive sport after achieving and exceeding all goals she had made herself in her athletic career. She is now self employed working across various roles, such as Commentary, Mentoring, Public peaking, Support work and Consultancy. Alongside this work she is still maintaining her Ambassador roles for local and national charities which are very close to her heart.

Louise is now an athlete mentor and unique motivational speaker. Louise has vast experience in speaking at many different types of events, from small groups, schools to business/charity events with hundreds of people. Louise has worked with a wide variety of people at many different venues and can tailor talks and sessions to suit any occasion or event. Louise can also offer presentations and workshops and is also a professional commentator, commentating at events such and Wimbledon, World masters and the Paralympics,

Tennis career

Louise reached a career high of ten in the world rankings in both singles and doubles, and number 2 nationally.

She reached a career best junior ranking of No. 2 in January 2009. Louise won her first senior women's singles title in Turkey in 2009 and added a second title in Turkey later that year.[6] Louise made her Paralympic debut at London 2012, competing in the women's singles competition, and competed in her first away Games at Rio 2016.[7] In 2019 the LTA, the governing body of tennis in Britain, hosted international wheelchair tennis in Oxfordshire for the very first time, British number three Hunt beat second seed and three-time national champion Lauren Jones 6–4, 6–4 in the women's singles final after dropping just one game in the earlier rounds.[8]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Wimbledon - Men's Wheelchair Doubles Final Analyst Day 12 (14 July 2018)
2018 Wimbledon - Ladies' Wheelchair Doubles Final Commentator Day 13 (15 July 2018)
2021 Channel 4 - Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Commentator / Presenter for Wheelchair Tennis [9]
2021 The Last Leg of Tokyo Herself/Guest 29 August 2021

References

  1. ↑ "Louise Hunt Tennis Player Profile". International Tennis Federation. 11 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "Louise Hunt - LTA Tennis for Britain". LTA Tennis for Britain. 11 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Louise Hunt - Paralympics GB". Paralympics GB. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "Wheelchair tennis ace Louise Hunt set for second Paralympic Games after Rio 2016 selection". University of Bath - TeamBath.com. 28 June 2016. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Paralympians find their lucky charms". The Times. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "Louise Hunt - LTA Tennis for Britain". LTA Tennis for Britain. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "Louise Hunt - Paralympics GB Profile". Paralympics.org.uk. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "Wanborough wheelchair tennis player Louise Hunt claims twin triumph at Abingdon event". This is Wiltshire. 2 November 2019. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  9. ↑ "All the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics pundits on Channel 4 – meet the presenters and commentators". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
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