Nathan took to the courts at Bourne Abbey Lawn Tennis Club on Sunday 24th May 2026, competing in an incredible 12-hour tennis marathon from 8:00am until 8:00pm against a myriad of opponents throughout the day. Demonstrating exceptional determination, endurance, and skill, Nathan remained unbeaten across every match played during the challenge.
The 12-Hour Tennis Match also acted as a fundraiser, with an original goal of raising £1,000 in support of the Youth Work at Bourne Baptist Church and across the wider Bourne community.
The event was additionally dedicated to the late Paul Davies, one of the devoted leaders who helped shape the current Youth Team and served faithfully as Teaching Pastor at the Church. During the event, two young people, Hattie and Maddie, created a special shirt for Nathan carrying the words “Death is Defeated” in honour of Paul’s legacy, alongside one of his well-known phrases: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Throughout the day, Nathan worked tirelessly through the heat and the challenge of facing a constant rotation of opponents. Despite the physical demands of spending 12 continuous hours on court, he completed the challenge undefeated while raising an incredible £1,494 for the cause, with further donations still continuing to come in.
If you would like to donate money, you can follow the following link:
www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nathan-jones-431
Nathan said:
“It was an incredible challenge and I am so proud of myself for winning all matches despite the challenges of the heat and the fatigue, but I am so blessed that I got to play against some incredible people. I am also so proud of the young people who helped out today with photography and also being ball boys and girls. They have worked incredibly hard and it makes me understand that I am doing this truly for an incredible cause, but also as a dedication to the legacy of my late brother and father-figure, Paul Davies.”
Below you can find photographs from the event, as well as the full match results from across the 12-hour challenge.
