Cardiff Met Welcomes Continued LTA Investment in University Tennis and Padel

Cardiff Metropolitan University has welcomed the news that the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has continued its investment in British university tennis and padel, increasing its support to £1.6 million and reaffirming the important role universities play within the sport's national pathway.

The announcement is particularly welcome at Cardiff Met, where investment from the LTA and Tennis Wales has helped strengthen the university's tennis workforce and create a more sustainable performance programme. Increased coaching capacity has enhanced the support available to players while also enabling the programme to expand its impact across the game in Wales.

Across Britain, university tennis continues to thrive, with nearly 3,000 students representing their institutions through BUCS competition during the 2025-26 season. A total of 391 teams from 81 universities competed across the country in the six-month tiered competition, highlighting the scale of the university game and its continued importance within British tennis.

Speaking about the announcement, Billy Barclay, Head of Tennis at Cardiff Met, said:

"It's incredibly exciting to see the LTA continuing to invest in university tennis and increasing its support into the industry to £1.6 million."

"British universities have a unique role to play within the tennis pathway, giving players the opportunity to continue developing their tennis alongside a university education while remaining part of high-quality training environments."

"At Cardiff Met, we've seen first-hand the impact that investment can make. Through our partnership with Tennis Wales and the support of the LTA, we've been able to build a stronger workforce that has improved what we can offer our student-athletes, while also providing opportunities for aspiring coaches to develop their careers. Many of those coaches who have come through our workforce pathways now hold influential roles within the sport and continue to make a positive impact across the tennis industry."

While Cardiff Met has a recognised performance tennis offer, the impact of the investment extends much further. A stronger staffing structure has enabled the university to continue developing opportunities across the programme, from student participation and community coaching through to competition delivery.

Today, Cardiff Met supports a thriving student tennis club, a substantial community coaching programme and a year-round competition calendar that includes events ranging from beginner competitions to professional prize money tournaments. Investment in the university game has helped strengthen the workforce behind these activities, allowing the university to broaden its reach and increase its contribution to the sport.

The continued support from the LTA and Tennis Wales is helping Cardiff Met build upon this work, ensuring the university remains an important contributor to the development of tennis in Wales and beyond.

The full LTA announcement can be viewed on the LTA website: LTA reaffirms commitment to British university tennis and padel with £1.6m funding - https://www.lta.org.uk/news/2026/october/lta-reaffirms-commitment-to-british-university-tennis-and-padel-with-1.6m-funding