New tennis players get selfie with Carlos Alcaraz

Women who have started learning tennis met star player Carlos Alcaraz during a behind-the-scenes tour of Wimbledon - which served up a surprise selfie with the defending men's champion.

The eight women took up tennis thanks to an initiative encouraging women and girls from diverse backgrounds to learn the sport.

The all-female programme in Birmingham, named Carolle & Iman Tennis after its organisers, has taught more than 400 women, mainly from South Asian communities, to play the game.

After the scheme won a Tennis for All Award in 2023, the Lawn Tennis Association invited a group to visit the All England Club for the first time.

Avid tennis fan Kam Soomal, who was among the number, said of the brush with sporting stardom: "I think I got a bit too excited. How could you plan it? You turn up to Wimbledon and who is the first person you see?

"The poor man had no choice but gave me a hug."

Ms Soomal said she had grown up finishing her exams and then watching Wimbledon for the whole two weeks, adding: "I never actually made it here."

She said she had always loved the sport but not previously played it, adding: "I started doing some tennis and here I am."

Carmen Torres, originally from Madrid, asked Alcaraz for a selfie in Spanish. She said she was surprised when the star agreed, adding: "I didn't expect it."

She said the atmosphere at the championships had been "amazing".

Equally enthusiastic was Amara Basit who said the day was "out of this world".

Anjum Gul said: "It's a dream. I've been watching [Wimbledon] as a child and never thought I would actually be here today."

Carolle Forde Garcia, who set up the Birmingham scheme with Iman Mahmood three years ago, said: "From the very beginning, our aim was to get more women and kids into tennis from different, diverse backgrounds."

She said their ambition had always been to show them Wimbledon.

Fellow organiser Iman Mahmood said: "To bring some of [the players] here today is just like a dream come true.

"Their reactions have been everything. It's the reason that we do it.

"It's to show them that actually you can come here and you can be part of it as well."

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