Ian Handford: Torquay's 'tennis coach to the stars'

Torquay's famous tennis coach Arthur Roberts coached, inspired and trained past tennis stars which included Angela Mortimer, Joan Curry, Corinne Molesworth, Mike Sangster and eventually Torbay's Sue Barker, working as a tennis coach at what we knew as the Palace Hotel (now demolished) on Babbacombe Road, Torquay. 

Arthur Roberts was born in London during 1929 and brought up in Fulham to eventually work as a tennis assistant with the Hurlingham Club London, coaching mainly the wealthy plus the aristocracy of the era wanting to play tennis regularly. It was a time when if you had money and plenty of spare time and were in good health this was a most popular sport of that era, 

Arthur was at first an assistant at the tennis club but eventually when bored he ultimately signed on to be a merchant seamen on vessels bound for South America. Yet again it was not long before he realised hard-life at sea was never going to be a long term career so after leaving a life at sea he returned home and now was fortunate to hear (someone un-named) say there was a vacancy for a tennis coach at one of the main hotels in Torquay in South Devon.

Tournament tennis was at that time an amateur game and any teacher wishing to be employed had to be teaching as a professional coach, which fortunately was what the four star Palace hotel sought. Although still in his twenties Arthur was immediately employed on the basis he would have to serve his five year break in the National lService of the Second World War. On his safe return home from war he now spent the next 50 years as the hotel's professional Tennis Coach. 

Initially, given a small indoor office in the hotel Arthur worked from there until the indoor tennis courts were demolished to be replaced by permanent new courts in an arena at the rear of the hotel. 

Ultimately these were internationally recognised as formal courts based at the Palace. 

Arthur was a small man with slightly rounded- shoulders yet forever enjoyed smoking. It was rare indeed to see him without his pipe. Over time he became a most unlikely celebrity being firm and very demanding. 

Years later Torquay star Sue Barker would admit that most of his trainees were frightened of the man and in her teens she admitted that her parents were barred from training sessions as Arthur believed they would be a distraction. 

As Sue said later: "Mr Roberts would never brook any interference whatsoever" As a ten-year-old student from Paignton Marist Convent Totnes Road (just having undergone massive redevelopment) Sue was one of only two girls spotted by Arhur for formal coaching. Even at this age neither girl had an easy ride although Arthur spotted their potential and years later was proven right.

There was good reason for his tough "gruff" approach as was proven when he and Sue visited the formal training centre at the Lawn Tennis Association. 

He soon discovered one of their coaches suggested that Sue change her forehand believing she was holding and playing too close to her body. 

An incensed Arthur Roberts emphatically disagreed regarding Sue's forehand as her strongest weapon, describing it as "especially potent". 

The incident made Arthur resign from the LTA Coaches Association when writing  - "it was in protest at the interference of their coach" which clearly shows he was a man of strong character whose actions reflected his personal beliefs. 

(Part two continues next week)