by Linda Serotta

The Holyport Real Tennis Club, tucked in the Berkshire village of Holyport, has long been a stage for the sport’s rising stars. This September, two young Americans—Kurt Mueller of Tuxedo Park and Jonah Serotta of Philadelphia—stepped onto that court for the British U15 and U19 Doubles Championships, facing not only unfamiliar walls and galleries, but also the fiercest junior competition anywhere. The draw featured the world’s top six ranked juniors, a rare gathering that promised the highest level of play.

Their journey to Holyport began long before boarding a flight. The boys first paired up last summer at the Court Tennis Preservation Foundation’s camp at Tuxedo Park, where their drive quickly set them apart. While most campers arrived around nine, Kurt and Jonah were already hitting balls at six, quietly carving out the edge that only extra hours can provide. In September, they built on that foundation with a doubles strategy lesson from World Champion Tim Chisholm. Both arrived in England with impressive résumés: Jonah, at 15, already holds US titles in the U15, U17, and U19 divisions as well as the French Junior Open U17 crown—and holds the world junior record for most RTO-logged matches in a single year. He is currently ranked fifth worldwide among juniors, a remarkable achievement accomplished in less than a year. A talented high school varsity tennis player, he has proven himself across both codes of the game. Kurt, just 13, has held the U11, U13 and U15 US Junior titles and is the current British Open U14 champion.

Their summers reflected their seriousness. Jonah trained heavily with John Lumley in Philadelphia and made several extended trips to Westwood, where he played high-level doubles under the guidance of Ivan Ronaldson. Kurt, meanwhile, leveled up at Tuxedo, testing himself against opponents several handicap points stronger. Both arrived in England known as two of the hardest-working juniors in the game—and eager to measure themselves against the best.

They arrived a day early in Holyport to work out the court’s quirks and rhythms. The floor is livelier and faster than on many courts, so the ball skids low and gives opponents less time to react. The tambour is unusually sharp, sending shots farther and more aggressively across the court than players often expect. Fresh off the flight, Kurt and Jonah spent two and a half hours drilling these patterns, focused on getting fully comfortable with the court before the competition started.

The U15 Title

Kurt opened the weekend by taking the U15 title with British partner Ryan Wallace (Seacourt), a player he knew from their meeting in the U14 British National final group at Queen’s Club. Their chemistry clicked quickly, and they defeated Maximillian Ansell (Hatfield, 2024 U14 British Nationals finalist) and Philippe Bauer-Travis (Paris, U15 French Open champion and US U13 finalist) 6–1, 6–2. Kurt’s flair—three clean hits to the grille, multiple dedans, and cuts driven deep into the forehand corner—was balanced by Wallace’s reliable serving and his knack for handling Bauer-Travis’s fast and excellent deliveries. Throughout the U15 stage, Wallace’s steadiness anchored the pair, giving Kurt the freedom to press with creativity and attack. Together, they complemented each other perfectly and earned the U15 title as a true partnership.

After the U15 competition ended, Kurt and Jonah went right back on court together. They played until the club was empty, shutting off the lights on their way out—a clear sign of their determination.

A Stop at The Oratory

While Kurt was competing in the U15, Jonah was warmly welcomed at The Oratory School, where he played singles with Archie Watson—the world junior No. 3 and French Junior Open U19 champion. Jonah handled singles play well, holding his own against a junior widely regarded for his balance of power, precision, and court sense.

The U19 Campaign

The Americans finished third in the U19 Doubles, ahead of some of the biggest names, including Max Warner (Queen’s Club), the 2024 World Juniors Champion and back-to-back U16 and U18 British Juniors Champion in 2024 and 2025, and Sebastian Edwards (Wellington College).

Kurt and Jonah had breezed through the morning session with three straight 6–0 wins to earn a spot in the afternoon’s round robin. Special mention goes to Martha Raitt (The Royal Court), the 2025 British Junior Open U18 Girls champion, fresh from the Girls World Championship in Tuxedo Park. Her elegant play and ability to hit the tambour brought real drama to her match against Kurt and Jonah, even in a one-sided scoreline.

The defining match—and their biggest result of the weekend—came against Watson and Robert Blizzard (The Royal Court). It was a duel of contrasting styles and unrelenting effort. Blizzard’s athleticism allowed him to absorb pace and turn back rallies with extraordinary reflexes, and he was especially sharp in defending the grille, refusing to give away easy points. Watson was commanding—serving with precision, hitting his targets consistently, cutting balls into the tambour at will, and sustaining pressure deep into points. His accuracy, heavy serve, and skill in driving the ball back to the tambour made clear why few juniors are tougher to face at this level. Yet Jonah and Kurt rose to the moment. Jonah leaned on his summer doubles training, defending the dedans with volleys and carving deep corner shots, while Kurt managed the tactics, serving steadily, calling chases, and staying firm in the forehand corner. The Americans edged the deciding game at 5–5, 40-all, sealing a 6–5 victory that had the gallery on edge until the last point.

More than a single result, the match showed what their partnership could become—two young Americans combining their games to take down one of the strongest pairs in Britain.

The Closing Note

The title went to Algie Nottingham (Holyport) and Laszlo Garson (Radley), who defeated Watson and Blizzard in straight sets. Garson’s volley control proved decisive, cutting off rallies and sending everything back at Blizzard’s feet.

As the weekend closed, the UK Tennis and Rackets Association thanked the United States for sending a team and raising the standard of play.

After all the competitors had left, Jonah and Kurt used the quiet court for another hour of singles together.

Looking Ahead

For Mueller and Serotta, Holyport was about more than wins and losses. They showed they could stand with the world’s best juniors—and even prevail. The two have found in each other the perfect partner—driving one another forward and lifting the standard of junior play in the U.S. Real tennis is a sport where rivals often become lifelong friends, and Kurt and Jonah are eager for future battles with Watson, Blizzard, Garson, Warner, and Raitt. Thanks to the generosity of the United States Court Tennis Preservation Foundation and its donors, this unforgettable experience was made possible—an investment in two players already proving worthy of the opportunity.

Photos by Linda Serotta