Ex-British No.1 tennis player 'banned' from attending Wimbledon

A controversial ex-British tennis star has been banned by Wimbledon. Christopher Mottram, better known as ‘Buster’, was Britain’s leading male player in the late 1970s and early 80s and represented his country in the Davis Cup.

However, he won’t be seen at SW19 this year, having been barred in 2023 “following further misdemeanours”, according to fellow ex-British No1 Roger Taylor. Taylor made the claim in his new book, The Man Who Saved Wimbledon, as reported in the Daily Mail’s Eden Confidential column.

Mottram, now 70, was a divisive figure. He once wrote a letter in support of then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher amid her battles with the trade unions in the 80s, signing it on behalf of the Davis Cup team, which enraged the tennis authorities.

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He was also accused of racism after expressing support for far-right politician Enoch Powell, infamous for his ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech about mass immigration in the late 60s.

Taylor, 83, wrote: “His antics and beliefs saw him frozen out by the establishment.

“He never became a permanent member of the All England Club which, for player with his record, would usually be guaranteed. In 2023, following further misdemeanours, he was banned from the place altogether.”

A Wimbledon spokesperson said: “I’m afraid we don’t comment on our membership.”

Mottram is said to have been left saddened by his expulsion, but Taylor said the ban was largely down to his own behaviour. He wrote in his book: “Buster spent more time there than just about anyone else and it’s been very sad to watch his decline and exclusion, even if much of it has been down to his own failings.”

Mottram reached as high as 15th in the world rankings in 1978 and 1983. His best performance at Wimbledon was reaching the fourth round in 1982.

He reached the same stage at both the French Open and the US Open. He was also part of the British Davis Cup team that was runner-up to the United States in 1978.

Mottram suddenly retired from the sport at the end of 1983, citing the “hassle” of playing in tournaments throughout the year. He subsequently went into right-wing politics, only to be booted out of UKIP for cosying up to the British National Party (BNP) and its leader Nick Griffin.

Mottram tried to initiate a pact between UKIP and the BNP, which led to his exclusion from the party, then led by Nigel Farage, who said: “There are no circumstances, no possible situations, in which we would even consider doing any type of deal with the BNP whatsoever.

“I'm simply amazed that the BNP thought we would even consider such a thing, given that we are a non-racist, non-sectarian party." Griffin had hoped to strike a deal to avoid BNP and UKIP candidates standing against each other in the following year's European elections.