Rochdale tennis star to play in German Bundesliga

Dave Gartside at Wimbledon in 2011

A veteran tennis player from Rochdale who has played at Wimbledon will be competing in the prestigious German seniors league this summer.

Dave Gartside, who turns 52 in June, from Shawclough, has accepted an offer to play for semi-professional Bundesliga tennis side Verner from May.

The over-40s club, based near Dusseldorf, were impressed after seeing the Lancashire over-50s champion in action for England against Germany and signed him up for this summer.

Dave explained he is pleased to have signed up but admitted to being under no illusions as to the high, competitive standard of the league.

“It’s the only semi-professional league for veterans,” he explained.

“It’s good because I think there’s only half a dozen teams over there so to be signed up is really good.

“There are some real top players over there – it will be quite tough giving 12 years away to some players.

“I’d like to think I can compete though. I just won’t know until I get there.”

Dave explained he will play at least two games of the six in the season, and possibly a third if time allows in between looking after his family.

Although not paid a wage, Verner will cover his expenses when he travels to play in the weekend-long matches, comprising both singles and doubles fixtures.

Dave said he has played tennis since he was about 11 years old after joining a friend who wanted an alternative to football, going to Bamford Tennis Club.

He was crowned British Senior Grass Courts Doubles Champion at Wimbledon in 2011 alongside Blackburn-based partner Neil Gibson.

His outdoor season this year kicked off on a high too, as he partnered Mark Connelly to victory in the Holcombe Brook Open men’s doubles tournament in Bury last week.

“We managed to win against some much younger opposition, which was quite pleasing,” Dave said.

“I’ve been playing for a long time now – it keeps me out of the pub!”

However, Dave did bemoan the lack of facilities available in Rochdale at the moment.

Despite the success of British stars Andy Murray, Laura Robson and Heather Watson, he believes a lack of facilities is stopping the game booming at grassroots level.

“There are no facilities in and around Rochdale,” he said.

“I’ve campaigned quite hard with the council, and they resurfaced some of the pitches but I think they did it to stop it becoming dangerous rather than anything I said.

“Obviously there’s indoor tennis but it’s usually private and it’s expensive – it’s too dear.

“I was lucky over the winter because I trained with the county and it’s subsidised. For other people you have to have membership to play and it can cost £70-£80 every month.”