Stirling tennis scholar set for world title bid with Team GB

University of Stirling tennis scholar Liam Hignett has been selected to compete for Team GB Students in the Master’U BNP Paribas – the “world event of university tennis”. 

Hignett – who was the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) National champion for 2023/24 – is one of six selected for Team GB as they vie for the major international title this weekend. 

The knockout tournament, which runs from Friday 29 November to Sunday 1 December, involves eight nations – Great Britain, Germany, Australia, Belgium, United States, France, Ireland and Switzerland. This year’s event – the 17th edition – takes place in Cormontreuil, Reims in France. 

University of Stirling – Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence – has a rich history at the championships, with former scholars Jonny O’Mara and Maia Lumsden winning gold in Lille in 2017, and Lumsden also taking silver in 2018 and 2019. And Hignett goes into the tournament in fine form, having just won the BUCS Doubles event with Stirling stablemate Rob Cowley. 

David Bond, Head of Performance Sport at the University of Stirling, said: “Congratulations to Liam on being selected for Team GB – we wish him and his teammates all the best as they compete on the international stage this weekend.” 

Hignett’s teammates are James Story (University of South Carolina), Finn Bass (Baylor University), Millie Rajecki (North Carolina State), Esther Adeshina (University of Tennessee) and Eliz Maloney (Loughborough University). Together, they will be trying to go one step further than last year, which saw Team GB win silver after losing to the United States in the final.  

The Master’U BNP Paribas is managed by the French University Sport Federation and the French Tennis Federation, in partnership with multinational bank BNP Paribas.  

The University of Stirling has one of the largest high-performance programmes in the UK – offering athletes funding support, academic flexibility, access to world-class facilities and coaching, equipment and kit. Core sports include tennis, swimming, golf, football, triathlon, rugby and curling. Visit our website for more information on our International Sports Scholarship Programme.