TAUNTON tennis star Lucy Shuker admits she was ‘disappointed’ with her Wimbledon Championships last week, but says she’s still on a learning curve on the grass.

The 37-year-old, who is the current British no. 1 and world no. 7, lost out in straight sets to Yui Kamiji in the ladies wheelchair singles quarter-finals, and to Dutch pair Marjolein Buis and Diede de Groot in the ladies wheelchair doubles semi-finals, where she partnered Germany’s Sabine Ellerbrock.

She said: “It’s an honour to play at Wimbledon among the best players in the world, in a tournament everyone knows and watches on TV.

“But I’ve developed a love-hate relationship with it – I love playing there, but grass is so tough to play on, as I’m the most disabled [in the ladies draw] so I struggle.

“I played better than last year, but I’m disappointed not to play my best tennis – it’s still a learning curve for me,” she added.

“I had fantastic support from friends and family, and with the finals on Show Court 3 the atmosphere was just as intense as the able-bodied matches, which the sport deserves.”

She also appeared on Channel 4’s The Last Leg following the tournament following a ‘last-minute call’.

“It was a great experience, and it’s a great show for breaking down barriers and misunderstandings.”

Shuker now trains at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, but she keeps up her contact with Blackbrook Tennis Centre in Taunton.

She said: “I played my first wheelchair tennis tournament in Taunton, in 2003 I think.

“[Blackbrook] actively support wheelchair tennis with a group set up there, they spotted my talent and invited me to play.

“They are one of the main reasons I’ve achieved what I have; they helped me overcome my accident [a motorbike incident which left her paralysed from the chest down] and to love the sport.

“I’m still a member there, I still play and train depending on my tournament schedule, and I hope I always will.”

Shuker will take part in the British Open Championships in Nottingham next month (August 1-6), before flying out to to Canada and the USA, ahead of the US Open in New York (September 7-10).

As well as looking ahead to that Grand Slam event, Shuker has her sights set on the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, having won women’s doubles bronze in 2012 and 2016.

“I’ve committed to the programme with British Tennis,” she said.

“I’d love to go for gold, and I’m working hard to make that happen.”