FORMER Wimbledon tennis champion Jordanne Whiley MBE had a tournament to remember off the court after her partner proved they are a match made in heaven.

Wheelchair tennis player Jordanne, from Halesowen, got engaged to Marc McCarroll after he served up a surprise - popping the question in memorable style.

The 27-year-old was delighted when the couple's 18-month-old son Jackson appeared sporting a T-shirt saying 'Mummy will you marry my daddy?' on Saturday (July 13).

She said: "It was a total surprise. I didn't expect it at all.

"The plan was to ask me if I made it to the final - he was going to come out onto the court - so because I didn't make it to the final he had to improvise!"

Jordanne, who was born with brittle bone disease, said the couple plan to tie the knot next year near their home in Oxford.

The prestigious tournament sent out a congratulatory tweet to Jordanne.

 


 

She said she was disappointed with her performance saying: "It wasn't great, but it was a step up a level for me. It wasn't what I wanted."

Jordanne and Japan’s Yui Kamiji bid for a fifth Wimbledon ladies’ doubles title, but after a bright start and twice serving for the match in the second set, Whiley and Kamiji eventually slipped to a 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 loss to Dutch top seeds Diede de Groot and Aniek van Koot.

The doubles defeat followed her exit from the ladies' singles the day before as she lost 6-4, 6-1 to Kamiji.

Marc, aged 34, also used to be a wheelchair tennis player after he was injured in a car accident in 2003. He is now Jordanne's coach.

Jordanne, who has won 10 tennis wheelchair titles, took a break from the sport whilst expecting her first child.

She was 11 weeks pregnant last year when she won the wheelchair women’s doubles title at Wimbledon.

It was the ninth grand slam doubles title she had won, which included two wins at the Australian Open, French Open and US Open twice.

She also won the grand slam singles title at the US Open in 2015.

Jordanne has also won a bronze medal at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games.

She was awarded her MBE in the 2015 Queens Birthday Honours.