History-making Vanessa Webb has completed a unique tennis double.

Having been Kent Lawn Tennis Association’s first female president, she has earned herself a place in the history books – again – by becoming the first female East Kent Lawn Tennis Association president earlier this year.

“When I became president at Kent, I didn’t have a clue (that she was the first female to hold the role) - I hadn’t looked into it,” said Webb, of Broadstairs, who has also been Kent LTA vice-president.

“I was just quite shocked that I had become the president because nobody had forewarned me. It wasn’t something I had thought about, to be fair.

“Obviously, I did a lot of stuff for the Kent LTA before and had been vice-president but it had never dawned on me that, one day, I would be president.

“To be the first female made it extra special and, now, I’ve gone and done it again in east Kent.”

Webb’s term of office as Kent LTA president ended, days before the Covid pandemic.

She explained: “My last piece was their annual awards dinner in March 2020.

“I shared giving out the awards with my deputy, sort of as a way of handing over.

“I gave the awards to the winners that evening and he gave the awards to the runners-up and then, after that night, he took over.

“That was literally days before we went into lockdown.

“The awards dinner was something like March 12 and we went into lockdown from March 23.”

The pandemic presented challenges for everyone - tennis clubs included - but Whitstable Lawn Tennis Club’s Webb thinks the accessibility of tennis during those tough times has helped the sport.

She said: “I’d say tennis is booming at the moment actually - across the whole country, not just in Kent.

“It’s a bit of a strange thing but I think lockdown did tennis quite a favour.

“When we were coming out of lockdown and all in our bubbles, tennis and golf could still go on because in tennis - especially with singles - you’re about 30 feet apart from each other.

“A lot of clubs right across the county have seen their memberships go up by a substantial amount.

“That’s through people who couldn’t go to gyms, play football or do other sports having a go at tennis. A lot of them have stayed with it.

“A lot of clubs had about 150 members before lockdown and now have more than 300. I believe that seems to be the story right through Kent and right through England.”

Since taking up tennis aged 11, Webb has gone from club player to administrator extraordinaire. She was recognised by the Kent LTA in December 2019 when she was awarded honorary county colours.

Webb said: “It’s not until you start putting stuff on paper that you realise how much you have done.

“I suddenly realised that it will be 28 years in March that I have been involved in tennis - and I think I’ve covered everything! All the club roles you can have at grassroots right up to the professional tour, basically.

“I’ve turned a passion of mine, having come into the sport by playing tennis, into a career.

“I’ve been doing a job that I love in a sport that I love, and I still play. It’s good.”

Webb added the latest string to her ever-expanding tennis bow when she was appointed first female president of the East Kent LTA at their AGM held at Canterbury’s Polo Farm in July.

Her new position was celebrated at East Kent LTA’s 60th anniversary lunch at Chestfield Barn with committee colleagues and representatives from east Kent clubs.

“It’s our 60th year,” she noted.

“To be appointed in that year - and the first female again - made that an equally special one.

“East Kent takes in quite a distance. It goes from Thanet to Deal, Dover and I think Hythe is the final stretch on the coastal route and, if you come up through the Thanet Way, that takes you to Herne Bay and Whitstable. Bearsted is where we cut off.

“It’s a bit funny where the borders are. We have lost a couple of clubs but we used to take in Sittingbourne - and not Gillingham.

“But the two clubs we had in Sittingbourne went under during lockdown.

“That means Bearsted is our final point along there. Maidstone LTC is only about four miles down the road but that’s part of central Kent.”

Plenty of youngsters were involved in 2023’s Junior Wimbledon, highlighting the amount of young talent in the county as they aim to emulate Kent’s finest by playing in the main draw at SW19.

Webb, who’s also a referee and was named Kent LTA Official of the Year in February, said: “Emma Raducanu is the big name to have come out of Kent recently. She came out of the Bromley Tennis Centre.

“We have also got Anton Matusevich from Sevenoaks. He came through Junior Wimbledon - the same as Emma - and played in the main draw.

“I don’t think he has got past the Third Round yet. But even if he gets to the Third Round, that’s quite an achievement.

“Ben Gusic-Wan, from Canterbury, has played Junior Wimbledon the last couple of years. He’s only 16 but is already out on the show courts.

“Kent, in my eyes, I’d say we are the best in the country. But a lot of it is done with different statistics, so I think they come in second or third in the county race, if you like.

“They have been in the top three for many years now, which is good news.”