This weekend 3rd and 4th September the cream of Devon and Cornwall’s most talented young tennis players between the ages of six and ten years old served it out to become Flybe Mini Masters’ champions during a series of final matches being held in Ivybridge hosted at the South Devon Tennis Centre.
Following the success of the launch event of the Mini Masters’ series in October 2009, the winners of each of the three age categories in the Summer series will take home a Flybe Mini Masters’ trophy, return tickets for their family to be used anywhere on the Flybe network and also win a Tennis Master Class with Lucy Ahl, Flybe ambassador and former British Number 1 Women’s player.
Flybe’s Tennis Ambassador, Lucie Ahl and Debbie Hale, LTA Talent Performance Co-ordinator (Devon & Cornwall) will present the award winners.
Some 300 young local tennis stars from across Devon and Cornwall have taken part in this fourth Flybe Mini Masters’ series. The programme was initiated to support the development and growth of young tennis players across the two counties and is sponsored by the airline in conjunction with the counties’ local Lawn Tennis Associations.
Mr Lilley says: “We are delighted to have this opportunity to play a key role in giving the region’s budding tennis players the opportunity to further their dreams in becoming a future Wimbledon tennis star. Both the winter and summer Mini Masters’ series have given talented young sportspeople from throughout Devon and Cornwall the opportunity to experience competitive tennis.
“To have helped give junior tennis a higher profile has been a privilege and the popularity of our Mini Masters’ series has resulted in a heartening growth in volume and quality of young players taking up the game.”
The competition has been open to all young tennis players up to the age of 10 years old and heats have been held across 14 regional tennis centres and clubs with the top eight players from each county and age group now set to battle it out in the Mini Masters’ finals.
Adds Ms Hale: “It is great to see so many young mini tennis competitors in action over the summer and really encouraging to see so many new faces on this season’s leaderboard.
“The continued work of Flybe with Devon/Cornwall LTA has been key to create more opportunities at grass roots for all players, beginner or advanced. The standard of the finals was high and we could see the future of British Tennis emerging from our counties due to the competitive opportunities we have provided. .”
For more information on the Flybe Mini Masters Summer Tennis Competition visit the LTA website www.lta.org.uk see “players” & “competition”
Contact: Debbie Hale (LTA Talent Performance Co-ordinator -Devon & Cornwall) debbie.hale@LTA.org.uk
Devon LTA devon@lta.org.uk 01752 892664
Cornwall LTA cornwall@lta.org.uk 01637 839136
For further press information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Flybe press office:
T: 0845 675 0681 E: pressoffice@flybe.com
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