She was the youngest Brit in nearly a century to play in the main draw at Wimbledon – but at the age of just 21, Annabel Croft made the bold decision to step away from professional tennis to seek new challenges.
Her story is a captivating collection of brave decisions and incredible adventures; a tale of talent, tenacity and transformation which has taken her from the jungles of Sri Lanka and the Treasure Hunt helicopter to the Strictly Come Dancing studio.
Now she’s lifting the lid on it all in a new touring show ‘Annabel Croft: From Tennis Balls to Glitter Balls’.
“I am really excited to be going on this tour to share my experiences from the world of tennis, broadcasting and dancing on Strictly,” she says.
“When I was 11 years old, a schoolteacher asked me to write an essay called ‘What I Would Like To Do’. I said I wanted to be able to play tennis, win Wimbledon, make journeys all around the world, and dance on stage.
“Well, I did indeed play tennis at Wimbledon and win the Open Girls’ tournament there. I did travel the world playing in many tournaments. And many years later I also got to dance on one of the biggest stages of all, taking part in the magical TV show Strictly Come Dancing.
“In between, there have been many highs and lows, laughs and tears, but every day has been part of life’s huge learning experience.
“Not everyone is lucky enough to see so many of their childhood dreams come true… so I hope that 11-year-old Annabel would look at me now and think that I’ve not done too badly!”
From the cut-and-thrust of competitive tennis to the camaraderie of the commentary box, and a wide-ranging TV and stage career, Annabel has earned a reputation as a trailblazer who has never been afraid of stepping out of her comfort zone.
She’s appeared in pantomimes, sung in musicals, turned the spotlight on homelessness by living on the streets, and tried her hand at yacht racing – a challenge which led to her meeting her late husband Mel.
“When opportunities arise, I’ve always been the sort of person to walk through the door and at the very least take a look at what’s involved,” she says.
“I never been afraid of putting myself in places where I could end up falling flat on my face – which believe me has happened on more than one occasion!
“But that shouldn’t ever discourage you. We should never be afraid to give things a try.”
Which is why she is delighted and excited at the prospect of setting off on her first one-woman theatre tour, with dates in England, Scotland and Wales from September 25 to November 23. A book to support the tour, featuring a pictorial look-back at Annabel’s career, will also be available.
She’ll be at The Atkinson on 9 November, you can purchase tickets here.
So, what exactly is in store for audiences?
Annabel promises a glimpse behind the scenes of the world’s greatest tennis tournaments, sharing unforgettable moments from her career including interviews with legends like Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
And, long before that, the time that she sneaked into Wimbledon without a ticket because she was so desperate to watch her idol, Bjorn Borg.
She’ll also be transporting audiences to the glitz and glamour of Strictly Come Dancing, when she wowed audiences on her way to the semi-final with dance partner Johannes Radebe.
People questioned the wisdom of signing up for the pressure of the live prime-time TV show just a few months after the death of her husband Mel from cancer. But it turned out to be the perfect tonic.
Annabel says: “Having briefly done ballet when I was very young, Strictly took me full circle to those early years when I’d be in my bedroom putting on Tchaikovsky, or Prokofiev, and dreaming of doing Romeo and Juliet.
“I loved the processes of learning all the different dances. It felt as if my tight, stiff body was unravelling like a giant ball of string. The movement and fluidity of the music and routines was helping me to free up and release the tension.
“I hadn’t appreciated just how good things like dancing or yoga are for people who are dealing with grief. I really felt the best I’d ever felt physically by the time I’d finished doing the show.”
She says she is also incredibly grateful for the friendships she has built, and the support she has received, from her commentary box colleagues.
“It’s a close and tight-knit community on the tennis media circuit, and I felt very, very supported by my colleagues. They were brilliant with me. I felt a lot of love and support at that time, and I am so thankful for it.
“To go back into commentary straight after Mel’s death at the French Open, and be able to talk about the world I knew, certainly did help to distract me from the way my life had been turned upside down.”
She has no regrets about turning her back on professional tennis at such a tender age.
She has never fallen out of love with the game – and indeed still plays most weeks – but could not come to terms with a routine which meant ‘living out of a suitcase, dealing with agents, managers, solicitors and sponsors, and giving up anything resembling a conventional social life’.
Never one to stand still for too long, Annabel says she would exhaust many of her friends because of her pent-up energy – and five decades on, she’s still constantly on the go.
But she’s not looking too far ahead right now for another challenge, other than trying to enjoy and appreciate life’s simpler pleasures like taking regular walks, and connecting with nature.
“I’m focusing much more about being in the moment, and enjoying what I’m doing now,” she says.
“It’s something that the top sports people are trained to do, and is one of tennis legend Billie Jean King’s most famous lines: Be present.”
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