For most spectators the greatest tennis tournament in the world is held over one glorious fortnight at the All England Club in Wimbledon.

However, for thousands of discerning fans the real highlight of the sporting calendar can be found four miles away in a less celebrated suburb.

At the end of August amateurs and elite players gather at Sutton Tennis Academy for Europe’s showpiece gay and lesbian tournament.

This year participants from about 43 different cities were drawn to the borough for the 14th annual Tennis London International, backed by the Lawn Tennis Association.

The popularity of the event shows how prejudices have been overcome since former Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King lost all her endorsements after being “outed” in the 1980s.

An event organiser said: “Tennis London International is the largest gay and lesbian tennis group in the UK and one of the country’s leading gay sports organisations.

“We aim to provide a safe and friendly for gay men and women to meet and play tennis and, at the same time, to actively promote grass-roots tennis among the gay and lesbian community.

“Each year Tennis London runs an international gay and lesbian tournament, known as the London International Championships, which is one of more than 40 tournaments on the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA) Tour. This competitive event is open to all levels.”

During the three-day tournament a shuttle bus service ferried competitors from Morden tube station to the high-performance academy in Rose Hill Park.

The non-profit event, supported by Strathmore Water, also featured coaching clinics, massage sessions, racket stringing and a community banquet.

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