Former World top 60 player Alicia Barnett makes transition from professional to inspirational coach at Team Bath Tennis
Aspiring young players at Team Bath Tennis will get to learn from a former British number one and Wimbledon quarter-finalist following the appointment of Alicia Barnett as Performance Tennis Coach.
Barnett, who has been a standout player in the Team Bath professional programme for the past decade, will be helping the next generation in the Regional Player Development Centre (RPDC) develop their game and fulfil their potential.
“I’m delighted to be taking on this role and starting a new stage in my tennis career,” she said. “I’m really lucky that I’m going to be working with so many talented young players. It’s a good opportunity to help shape them, not just as players but as people, and hopefully help them along their journey.
“I’m fortunate that I’ve always worked with coaches I felt cared about me, on and off court, and that’s something I want to pass on to future generations.”
Being an emerging tennis talent at Team Bath is something that Barnett, from Painswick in Gloucestershire, has personal experience of having first joined the Academy as a 17-year-old through the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sport and Exercise (AASE) programme.
She gained her Level 1 coaching qualification at the same time and says: “It has always been in the background for me, I’ve always enjoyed getting on court and helping the boys and girls at my local club.
“I did my Level 3 qualification during Covid because I thought coaching was something I would want to do in the future – my parents have always wanted me to be prepared in life!”
The transition to coaching comes after Barnett decided to call time on an outstanding playing career which saw her become Britain’s top women’s doubles player after reaching 59 in the world rankings.
She competed in all four Grand Slam tournaments, reaching the Wimbledon mixed doubles quarter-final in 2022 and 2024, and helped Great Britain progress to their first Billie Jean King Cup semi-final in more than 40 years in 2022.
Barnett recorded 21 tournament victories during her nine years on the circuit, the last coming in July when she partnered France’s Elixane Lechemia to the women’s doubles title at the Generali Open Kitzbuhel in Austria.
“I achieved a lot more than I ever expected,” said Barnett. “I managed to travel the world, create a lot of amazing memories and make some really good friends on the tour – it’s been quite a ride.
“I’d started to think about life after playing and when this opportunity came up it seemed too good to be true. I’m very settled in the South West and I love the culture here at Team Bath, so it just seems like a natural next step.
“Team Bath is such a good environment to develop and excel within. I went to America to study and compete but when I returned to England I was craving structure and reliability, so I came back to Team Bath and have been here for the last decade. I’ve trained primarily with Ian MacDonald and Tiarnan Brady but have worked with pretty much all the coaches here, which has been a real privilege.
“The whole culture and philosophy is of elite performance. You go into the gym and you’ve got Olympians next to you on the rowing machine. Wherever you look, you’ve got people working hard and trying to get the best out of themselves.”
Barnett will be working alongside Chris Starkey on the Team Bath RPDC programme, which provides world-class coaching and support to players aged 14 and under to maximise their ability to transition effectively to the International Junior Stage of the LTA Player Pathway.
Find out more about the Team Bath Tennis performance pathway, and the wider all-encompassing programme, by visiting teambath.com/tennis.
