Barclays Wimbledon

How Britain’s elite tennis players set their goals

Judy Murray sits down with Jodie Burrage and Ryan Peniston at Wimbledon to discuss how they got started, what their goals are now and how their support teams can help them achieve them

It is the most exciting moment in the tennis calendar – the arrival of Wimbledon, the oldest, grandest and most prestigious grand slam of the year. And with Barclays, the Official Banking Partner of The Championships, being one its main partners, it is a huge opportunity to introduce the game to many, many more people as an incredible fortnight of sporting action plays out at SW19 and on millions of screens across the UK. With that in mind, it felt like the perfect time for me to check in with two top 10 British players I know well – Jodie Burrage and Ryan Peniston – to talk about all they have achieved so far in the game, what goals they still have for themselves in their careers and – with Barclays and the LTA’s shared ambition to get 150,000 more people playing tennis, what barriers need to come down to make the sport more accessible for all. We met at the picture perfect home of tennis, the All England Lawn Tennis Club, to talk about life at the pinnacle of this very demanding sport.

JODIE BURRAGE

DOB 28/05/1999 Born Kingston upon Thames Plays Right-handed GB ranking 3 Highest world ranking 85 ITF titles 11 Current goal To finish in the top 75 this year

WTA main draw debut in Abu Dhabi in January 2021

Reached her first WTA final at Nottingham 2023

Posted first-round victories at both Wimbledon and US Open in 2023

Broke into the top 100, reaching a career-high of No 85 in 2023

Studied international business at the University of Memphis from 2015-18, earning All-American honours in both singles and doubles

ATP main draw debut in 2022 at Queen’s Club, beating world No 5 Casper Ruud and Francisco Cerundolo to reach the quarter-finals

Reached the quarter-finals in Eastbourne 2022 before winning his first match as a wild card at Wimbledon

Reached a career-high No 123 in July 2022

RYAN PENISTON

DOB 10/10/1995 Born Southend-on-Sea Plays Left-handed GB ranking 9 Highest world ranking 123 ITF titles 6 Current goal To make Wimbledon main draw again

THE PLAYERS

WINNING AT WIMBLEDON

Let's start with some fond memories – your first wins at Wimbledon. What do you remember about those matches and, particularly on the day, the goals you set for yourself?

Judy Murray

RP It was 2022 and my first time competing in the Wimbledon main draw. I was crazy nervous before my match against Henri Laaksonen [Peniston won 6-4, 6-3, 6-2]. I set myself some goals, for sure. I tried to focus on non-negotiable things like having good energy and a positive attitude. I thought if I could stick to those, that’s all I can do. If I won or lost, the result didn’t matter if I achieved those goals. And I did manage to achieve those. It was a great experience and an amazing memory I'll always have. JB Mine was slightly different. My first win here was on Court 3 in 2023 and it was my third time playing Wimbledon [she beat Caty McNally 6-1, 6-3]. Because it was my third time, my goal was so simple. I was just saying to myself: “I’m winning this match.” That’s the mentality that I went on court with, and that’s the mentality that I’ve tried to take into every match since then. I actually played probably one of the best matches ever that day. I was really proud of myself. It was quite an emotional moment as well, just for the injuries I’d been through. It was a big hump I wanted to get over. I will never forget it. Court 3 will always be in the memory books for me.

JM You've both been on the comeback trail from serious injuries. Do you set yourselves realistic goals and then maybe extra-special – almost unattainable – goals? Ones which are almost the light at the end of the tunnel that you want? RP I definitely do a bit of both. If you set goals that you think you can achieve, it’s great when you do achieve them. You feel awesome. But when you set unattainable ones, they just make you strive, they push you to go past your limits – and I think that’s when you can achieve something special. JB Yeah, I definitely have goals for every day. One of them is to get my heart rate above 80 per cent for a certain amount of time a day. Then there's the longer-term goal of finishing the year in the top 75. That’s going to be very difficult for me now, having missed three months through injury. But these are the longer-term goals that push you. Another one is all about how I want to develop my play. That sort of goal you can’t achieve overnight, so you definitely do both. I always want to over-achieve when I set these goals so I’m quite harsh on myself sometimes. But that’s what pushes me. JM Yes, I get that. You have to keep an eye on your long-term goals but you also have to reset them according to circumstances and situations. So, Ryan, who else apart from you sets goals for you and champions you? RP My team members – my coach, fitness trainer and mental coach. All of them have goals in mind. We’ll meet and go through them together, to get their opinions, because they might have a higher standard than the one I have in mind. They might expect more. When everyone works together, they all know my strengths and weaknesses. It’s a massive thing that your whole team is aligned in terms of what we’re striving for. JB I definitely agree. They may sometimes have different goals to mine. Everyone is in the conversation. Another good way to set goals is to look back on previous matches. I used my injury timeout to do this recently. My double-handed backhand is my best shot, so I was watching how many backhands I hit in a match. It did change my perspective, because if I hit 100 or 150 backhands in training, why can’t I do it in a match? That’s the approach I’ve taken. I’m actually really glad that I took the time to watch these matches and went back to the team to create a plan. I never realised how much I actually use my forehand. It made me realise how much I do need to work on that. It was one of my weakest shots, but hopefully now it’s pushing to be one of my strengths.

mind since I was a kid.'

EARLY YEARS

JM Ryan, yours is an incredible story, with your survival from cancer when you were three. More than 20 years on, how has that experience altered your perspective on tennis and on life? RP It changed my perspective on life and tennis massively. When I have a great win or bad loss, I look back and look at the big picture. Honestly, it helps me get through times. There are less fortunate people out there going through really tough times. I hope I can inspire other people that are going through those things to look ahead and see what goals they can achieve. So that’s one of the main goals in my career, to see if I can help others. JM What was your first taste of tennis? RP I was in the back garden with my brothers. We had these small tennis rackets and we had this apple tree and – I don’t know why – but our goal was to hit as many as we could over the fence. But the next door neighbours didn't find it so funny, and the next thing we know the police were knocking at the door. JB Mine was playing with my mum at Westside Tennis Club up in Wimbledon. I just got on court and things happened from there. JM What propelled you to the top from there, Jodie? JB I think the key things that helped me become a top tennis professional are the hard work and sacrifices I’ve put in, especially at a young age. I went down to Bournemouth aged 11, moving away from my family for the tennis programme at West Hants. Those sacrifices get bigger and bigger the older you get. Also, understanding the hard work that needs to go into it. I’m still getting to grips with that now, in my mid-20s. You think you know what it takes, but you really don't when you step up the levels. Belief is another element, which I’m still working on, too. I wish I had believed in myself at a younger age.

WHAT'S NEXT

JM I know plenty of British players either live together or live near each other within close proximity to Wimbledon. Does that closeness help? RP It really does. We’re mostly all friends in British tennis, living close to each other. It’s such a nice atmosphere, and we see each other all the time. We’ve got a WhatsApp group called The Breakfast Club, which Jodie set up, and when anyone goes to our coffee spot they’ll fire a message in there. It feels like a team, and it helps us to push each other at the training centre, too. JM Once your injury rehab has fully finished and you feel back to your best physically, what are your next steps, your next goals in your career? JB After I’ve had a few tournaments under my belt, probably after the grass court season, I’ll look and see where my ranking is at. I think I’ll re-evaluate then and set some goals for the rest of the season and see what I want to achieve. Really, it’s to try and get back to where I was before my wrist injury, because I was in a really good spot, ranked at No 85 in the world. That’s not going to be easy, but if I can do that I can kick on from there. RP Since my ankle injury, my goals have got very short-term and I’m trying to hit these kinds of little milestones in my rehab process. But in the long-term, I definitely want to crack into the top 100. That’s a huge goal for me, continuing to try and work on things in my game to achieve that – and trying to play main draw of a Masters 1000 event would be really cool, too. JM What are your off-court goals in life? JB Mine are to see my friends and family as much as possible because they are the ones who have helped me through all this. I need to enjoy my life off the court, because that makes me feel better on the court as well, and it helps my general life and wellbeing. I will, at some point, do something after tennis. My boyfriend [Ben White, the Toulon rugby player] is doing an interior design course and that’s inspiring me to do something, I just haven’t quite found what I want to do yet. I am really keen to learn. RP I have one that’s probably pretty rare: I’d like to be a grandad. It’s one of my big life goals. I didn’t get to spend much time with my grandad or my grandparents. So that’s definitely a personal goal of mine. JM And a final question – and it's only for you, Ryan – do you have any moustache goals? RP I'm actually on my way to achieving that, but my girlfriend might have other words to say about that! I'm trying my best. Genetics are not helping me either, I’ve got to be honest.

Achieve your goals – on and off the court – with Barclays, the Official Banking Partner of The Championships and Official Parks and Participation Partner of the LTA. Find out more about Barclays tennis partnerships

RYAN PENISTON

career. It’s a goal I’d had in my

goal I’ve achieved so far in my

Wimbledon was the biggest

'Playing main draw at

there, and it's so good for your

it's active, you're getting out

You can play doubles, and

sport, you can play at all levels,

'Tennis is such a good social

Jodie Burrage

What’s your biggest win in another sport?

Off-court with Jodie and Ryan

JM What would you say have been your biggest achievements to date in terms of goals that you’ve set yourself and achieved? JB For me, breaking the top 100 was a goal that I think every player sets, getting that double digit. Another was qualifying for a slam. That’s what I wanted to do without a wild card, which I did for the US Open [in 2023]. I ended up winning my first match there, with that exact same mindset from Wimbledon. There was actually a lot of pressure at the US Open because I think seven Brits played in the first round that day. And I was the last one to play. All six won, so I went on with that pressure as well, which I think actually helped. I said to myself, “You’re not the only Brit losing today.” RP I would have to say playing main draw at Wimbledon was the biggest goal I’ve achieved so far in my career. It’s a goal I’d had in my mind since I was a kid. I used to come here to watch with my dad every year. It was always in the back of my mind and I’d built it up so much, it was the one thing I had to achieve in my career. When it happened it was a really, really special memory.

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS

mental health'

JB I used to do gymnastics and I did once get a gold medal on the beam! RP Probably a football under-10s tournament in Essex, where I scored a penalty, which I'll never forget. I gave a pretty big celebration so I’m pretty sure that was my only ever goal!

JB I've played endless Monopoly battles with my three brothers. Some have ended in tears, but I do remember winning once! RP I won a game of codenames against my friend and neighbour Katie Swan the other day, which was pretty huge for me.

Biggest board game win?

JB I do actually like cooking. At the moment I've been doing chorizo and chicken orzo, which has been unbelieveable. Freya Christie will vouch for that. I make a good guacamole too. Everyone raves about that. RP Yeah, I rate myself as a cook. I make a mean stir fry.

Biggest win in the kitchen?

JB I recently got given a free upgrade on a rental car on a trip to see Ben down in Nice – does that count? I do love a free coffee, and Penny and I are always at DropShot Every eight coffees you get a free one. RP I got upgraded to first class on a flight on the way to the US, which really was epic.

Biggest small win?

Produced by Telegraph Media Group

Wimbledon goals: Ryan Peniston was beaten by Andy Murray in the first round at SW19 last year but says the Championships remain his ultimate ambition

JM Family clearly plays a big part for you both, but as you say, Ryan, not everyone has that support. Barclays has a series of initiatives with the LTA and Wimbledon Foundation which are all about inclusivity, creating a positive impact across our communities. How do those levels of access compare to when you started out in the game? RP When I was a youngster, my dad and I went down to the local club in Southend a lot and it was usually available, which was great. But I know it isn’t like that for everybody. If accessibility becomes possible all over the country it can only be hugely beneficial for the sport. JB Tennis is such a good social sport, you can play at all levels. You can play doubles, and it’s active, you’re getting out there, and it’s so good for your mental health. If people go to Free Park Tennis, then you never know what that could lead to. Everyone has to start somewhere. It’s a great sport for everyone and to have more people playing is the goal. JM What are barriers that prevent people picking up a racket on a regular basis? JB There are multiple barriers for people – paying for courts to play on, getting rackets, getting balls… it can be an expensive sport. I feel like it's getting better, though, and initiatives like Barclays’ work with the LTA is really important, because it takes that cost away from people at the start. It's not always easy to find people to play tennis with regularly. I was lucky that my mum did that for me. I feel like a lot of my fellow players had that, too. If you can introduce a parent or someone older into tennis, then they can introduce their kids into tennis – and it can go from there. RP There’s a stigma around tennis that you have to have a lot of money for lessons and for training, and sometimes it can be very difficult. But if we strive to have more availability and access to courts, over time I think that stigma will slowly go away.

JM Family clearly plays a big part for you both, but as you say, Penny, not everyone has that support. Barclays has a series of initiatives with the LTA and Wimbledon Foundation which are all about inclusivity, creating a positive impact across our communities. How do those levels of access compare to when you started out in the game? RP When I was a youngster, my dad and I went down to the local club in Southend a lot and it was usually available, which was great. But I know it isn’t like that for everybody. If accessibility becomes possible all over the country it can only be hugely beneficial for the sport. JB Tennis is such a good social sport, you can play at all levels. You can play doubles, and it’s active, you’re getting out there, and it’s so good for your mental health. If people go to Free Park Tennis, then you never know what that could lead to. Everyone has to start somewhere. It’s a great sport for everyone and to have more people playing is the goal. JM What are barriers that prevent people picking up a racket on a regular basis? JB There are multiple barriers for people – paying for courts to play on, getting rackets, getting balls… it can be an expensive sport. I feel like it's getting better, though, and initiatives like Barclays’ work with the LTA is really important, because it takes that cost away from people at the start. It's not always easy to find people to play tennis with regularly. I was lucky that my mum did that for me. I feel like a lot of my fellow players had that, too. If you can introduce a parent or someone older into tennis, then they can introduce their kids into tennis – and it can go from there. RP There’s a stigma around tennis that you have to have a lot of money for lessons and for training, and sometimes it can be very difficult. But if we strive to have more availability and access to courts, over time I think that stigma will slowly go away.