About

TENNIS AND REAL TENNIS

Former world number one singles player and doubles world champion at Real Tennis. Won the British, French, Australian and U.S. Open tournaments in singles and doubles.

Real tennis member at The Queen’s Club, Oxford University RTC and Hardwick House.

Played lawn tennis at Junior Wimbledon and senior tournaments in Europe, the Middle East and the U.S.A.

Lawn tennis member of The Queen’s Club and Campden Hill LTC in London. Coached in London and the U.S.A.

TRAVEL

Lived in France, Israel, New Zealand; extensive travels in U.S.A., Pakistan, Cuba, Chile, Namibia, Iceland, Siberia.

Kibbutznik in Israel, language teacher and Sorbonne student in Paris, seven years in New Zealand.

Advanced Scuba Diver: Thailand, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Australia, Gozo, Sardinia.

Most exhilarating sightings? manta rays, whale sharks, leopard sharks.

FREELANCE WRITING

Other than sports I have written on general lifestyle, lgbt+ issues and dabble in fiction/faction. I have contributed regularly to:

TheArticle

Wimbledondebentureholders

Languedoc Living

Promotional Content Marketing: Harley Therapy Ltd.

EDUCATION /QUALIFICATIONS

M.A. in Journalism, Birkbeck, University of London

B.A. Hons in French Literature, Queen Mary College, University of London

Postgraduate diploma in French translation

NUJ Member

THE GERRY WEBBER OPEN, HALLE - DER BESONDERE PROFI - THE SPECIAL PRO.

Real Tennis player, Katrina Allen, is at the GWO (The Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany) for the first time.

She was the World no. 1. She took part in the British, Australian, US and French Open tournaments in both singles and doubles and she won them all.

She isn’t a big name in tennis history but that’s because we aren’t talking about our game but a different form of tennis “the original game, invented in the 12th century by the French” explains Katrina Allen, who is working at GWO at a journalist. “It’s a complicated game with complicated rules”. But this is what inspired her. “The sport is very challenging. The court is massive, the balls hard and the wooden rackets heavy. “I loved all that” says the Londoner. Today Real Tennis is not particularly well-known and is played in only a few countries.

Katrina has come to Halle just to be at the GWO. “This tournament is like a festival. I have been at many major tennis tournaments, but none as impressive as this one. The atmosphere is great, very relaxed and informal. My main reason for coming was to see Roger Federer. He is just wonderful, an exceptional player.” Roger was the only top ten player she hadn’t seen so she has finally ticked him off her list.

Photo: Katrina Allen

SPORT

LIFESTYLE

HEALTH