Recently, Alicia Dudeney did not drop a set at W35 Birmingham, where she won her sixth title of the year, and in October, she had her biggest career win at WTA 125 Samsun against top seed and then world No. 83 Antonia Ružić, with the event marking her return to tennis, having retired during a match in August in Spain, which resulted in Alicia being unable to compete at the US Open. Alicia received a wildcard for the women’s singles and doubles main draws at this year’s Wimbledon for her first senior Grand Slam, and she partnered fellow British player Mimi Xu and faced former Grand Slam champions Hsieh Su-wei and Wang Xinyu, and Alicia and Mimi previously played together in Nottingham and Ilkley. Over the summer, Alicia competed at a number of competitions, including the Eastbourne Open, and she made her WTA main draw debut in Nottingham this year. In 2025, Alicia won her first ITF singles title at W35 Roehampton, and she also graduated the same year from studying business with a minor in economics in Florida, where she was part of the Florida Gators team. Whilst studying in Florida, one of Alicia’s biggest highlights was reaching the NCAA semi-finals in 2024, and she earned ALL-SEC First Team honours in her final year. At Wimbledon in 2021, Alicia reached the quarterfinals in the girls’ singles event, eventually losing to top seed Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva. Catching up with Alicia, she told us about winning her sixth title of the year at W35 Birmingham, competing at 2026 Wimbledon for her first senior Grand Slam and what it was like being part of Florida Gators whilst studying at University of Florida.
You have recently won your sixth title of the year, having not dropped a set at W35 Birmingham; how does it feel to win a tournament after dominating your matches and what was it like coming away with another trophy?
It’s an amazing feeling, and I’m really pleased with how I’ve been playing. Winning a tournament is always special, but to come through the week without dropping a set gives me a lot of confidence. I think the most satisfying thing is seeing all the hard work I’ve been putting in during training translate into results on court. I’ve had a really positive year so far, and every title is another step forward. I’m just trying to keep improving, stay consistent and build on the momentum.
After unfortunately having to retire from your match in Spain in August, you were unable to compete at the US Open later that month; how was it returning to tennis and getting your biggest career win in October at WTA 125 Samsun against top seed and then world No. 83 Antonia Ružić?
It was definitely disappointing to have to retire in Spain and then miss the US Open, especially after such a positive first half of the season. When you’ve been playing well and building momentum, it’s frustrating to have that interrupted. But I tried to focus on getting myself ready to compete again rather than rushing things.
Coming back and beating a top-100 player like Antonia was a huge confidence boost. It showed me that I can compete with players at that level, which is really encouraging at this stage of my career. Hopefully it’s the first of many wins like that.
What was it like being awarded a wildcard into the women’s singles and doubles main draws at this year’s Wimbledon and how did you find the experience at your first senior Grand Slam?
It was honestly a dream come true. I found out about the wildcard while I was playing in Nottingham, and I was just incredibly excited and overwhelmed. Growing up in Britain, Wimbledon is the tournament you dream about playing, so to actually be there competing in the main draw was really special.
I’d been to Wimbledon so many times as a fan, as a kid, including watching friends compete, but experiencing it as a player was completely different. I tried to enjoy every moment and take as much as I could from the experience. It’s given me even more motivation to keep improving and hopefully return for many more years.
How was it playing in doubles with fellow British player Mimi Xu at Wimbledon, where you faced Grand Slam champions Hsieh Su-wei and Wang Xinyu, and developing the partnership in the lead-up to Wimbledon in Nottingham and Ilkley?
It was such a special experience. We’d had the opportunity to play together in Nottingham and Ilkley beforehand, which helped us get to know each other’s games and develop our communication on court.
Facing players with the experience and achievements of Hsieh Su-wei and Wang Xinyu was a brilliant opportunity to see the level required at the very top of doubles. Those are the matches you learn so much from. Mimi is a really talented player, and it was lovely to share my first senior Wimbledon experience with another British player.
You played in numerous grass tournaments ahead of Wimbledon, including Eastbourne Open; what do you enjoy most about the grass court season and how was it playing at these tournaments this summer?
There’s something really special about the British grass court season. It is truly my favourite part of the year and the tennis season. Growing up in the UK, I used to go to Eastbourne as a little girl and run around asking players to sign my giant tennis ball, so it’s quite surreal now to be competing at some of those same tournaments.
Grass is a surface that takes a bit of adjusting to, but I really enjoy the challenge. The points are often quicker, and you have to be very sharp with your movement and reactions. Getting to play at Nottingham, Ilkley, Eastbourne and Wimbledon this summer was a fantastic experience and gave me a lot of confidence.
How would you sum up your 2026 season, and can you tell us about your further success this year, which saw you make your WTA main draw debut in Nottingham?
It’s been an incredible year and probably more than I could have imagined when I graduated from university last May. I’ve been playing professionally for a relatively short time, so to win multiple titles, climb the rankings and make my WTA main draw debut in Nottingham has been really exciting.
Getting the Wimbledon wildcard was obviously another massive highlight. I think what’s been most encouraging is seeing that I can compete at increasingly higher levels. There have been challenges along the way, but I feel like I’m learning all the time. I want to keep building on this year and see how far I can go.
What was it like winning your first ITF singles title at W35 Roehampton last year, and what did that win mean to you?
Winning my first singles title at Roehampton was a really important moment for me. I’d only recently graduated from Florida and started playing professionally full-time, so it was a big confidence boost and reassurance that I’d made the right decision.
Making the transition from college tennis to the professional tour is a big adjustment, and you don’t always know how quickly things are going to come together. Winning that first title gave me belief in myself and my game. It also made me hungry to keep working and hopefully win more.
How was your time as a student at University of Florida, from which you graduated in 2025, and what are some of your stand-out highlights from being part of the Florida Gators team?
I absolutely loved my four years at the University of Florida. Going to America at 18 was a huge adventure, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I studied business with a minor in economics while competing for the Gators, and I made some amazing friends along the way.
One of the biggest highlights was reaching the NCAA doubles semi-finals in 2024, and I was also really proud to earn All-SEC First Team honours in my final year. But beyond the results, I think what I’ll remember most is being part of a team and having everyone supporting each other. College tennis is such a unique environment, and those four years helped shape me both as a player and as a person. I am truly lucky to have gotten a chance to experience that.
What do you feel you learnt from playing collegiate tennis, and what advice would you give a young player thinking of going down the college route?
I learned so much from college tennis, both on and off the court. It really helped me mature, become more independent and develop my game technically and mentally. You’re training and competing at a very high level while also managing your studies, so you learn a lot about discipline, organisation and dealing with pressure.
I would definitely recommend the college route to young players. Yes, you may start your professional tennis journey a bit later, but the kinds of experiences you get from being in college are truly special.
You have access to incredible facilities, coaching and resources, and you’re surrounded by teammates who push you to improve every day. It also gives you the opportunity to get an education and grow as a person while continuing to pursue your tennis ambitions.
Did you always know you wanted to attend college in America, and how have you found the transition to professional tennis?
I didn’t necessarily always know that I would go to America. I knew of a few players who had taken the college route and really enjoyed it, but I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. I’d seen plenty of American films, so I had an idea of what university life might be like, but actually experiencing it was something else.
At 18, I didn’t feel quite ready to turn professional, and looking back, college was absolutely the right decision for me. It gave me four years to develop my game and mature.
The transition to professional tennis has been exciting, but also quite different. You’re travelling on your own much more, making decisions about your schedule and managing everything yourself. But I feel that my time at Florida prepared me really well for those challenges.
In 2021, you reached the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon girls’ singles, where you eventually lost to top seed Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva; what do you remember most from playing Wimbledon as a junior?
Junior Wimbledon quarters was for sure one of the highlights of my junior career. Wimbledon had always been my favourite tournament growing up, so just having the opportunity to compete there was incredibly exciting.
I remember how special it felt to be playing at the All England Club and being surrounded by so much tennis history. Reaching the last eight gave me a lot of confidence and was a really important experience at that stage of my development. To return five years later and play in the senior main draw made it even more meaningful.
How did you get into tennis and what was it like starting your training at Pavilion and Avenue Tennis Club in Hove, where you trained alongside Sonay Kartal?
I started playing tennis when I was about seven. My mum took me to a local tennis session at Pavilion and Avenue in Hove, and I just fell in love with it. Apparently, I was always asking her to take me back to the courts!
I was really lucky to grow up training with a great group of players and coaches, including Sonay Kartal and Ben Reeves. We all spent so much time together on court, and Pav has always felt like home to me.
It’s been amazing watching Sonay’s success over the last few years. We’ve known each other since we were little, so seeing someone you’ve grown up with achieve so much is really inspiring. It also gives you that extra belief that you can do it too.
Were there any tennis players that inspired you when growing up (or that you particularly enjoy watching now), and do you have any other favourite sports to follow?
Growing up, I loved watching Wimbledon and following the best players in the world. I think you can learn so much from watching different players, whether it’s their technique, movement or the way they handle big moments.
I’ve also been really inspired by players I’ve grown up around, particularly Sonay Kartal, and by former teammates like McCartney Kessler, who have gone on to achieve great things on the professional tour. Seeing people you know succeed makes those goals feel much more achievable.
I also loved watching Johanna Konta when I was growing up – the way she represented GB, especially during Wimbledon.
What is it like travelling the world as a tennis player, and is there anything you find most challenging about the sport?
Travelling is definitely one of the best parts of being a professional tennis player. I’ve been lucky enough to visit so many different places and experience things I probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do otherwise.
At the same time, it can be quite demanding. You’re constantly moving between tournaments, spending a lot of time away from home and having to adjust to different conditions. Tennis is also quite an individual sport, so you have to learn to manage the ups and downs yourself.
I think college really helped prepare me for that because I became much more independent. I’m still learning, but I’m enjoying the journey and feel very lucky to be doing something I love.
How do you like to spend your free time?
When I’m not playing tennis, I really enjoy spending time with family and friends, especially because I’m away travelling so much during the year.
I also love baking, particularly cakes and cookies, which is something I enjoy doing when I have a bit more time at home during the off-season. It’s nice to switch off from tennis occasionally and do something completely different. And lastly, rom-coms are a wonderful way to relax after a hard day on the court.
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