Ex-Great Britain Davis Cup player Danny Sapsord and local MP Harriet Baldwin hit the first shots as Pershore Tennis Centre’s new LED lights for its indoor courts were officially switched on.
Around 200 people attended the event which also included an exhibition match, coaching clinics, a fastest serve competition and charity fundraising with £1,400 raised for the club.
The indoor court lights have been funded by Sport England, the LTA, Severn Waste and other grants and representatives from H&W LTA, SWAS League, Pershore Tennis Centre directors and the lighting installers also attended.
Sapsford and fellow Luke Milligan, also a former Davis Cup player, attended as part of a charity called Bright Ideas for Tennis which allows the pro players/coaches to visit hosting clubs at no cost enabling all profits from the day’s to go directly to the club itself.
The pair served up a busy afternoon of coaching clinics starting with the youngsters aged 5-10 years, followed by a teens session, an adult session and then a session aimed at the clubs' competing team members.
While the pro coaches had a brief rest, the radar guns came out for the fastest serve competition. A bottle of champagne was won by both Mike Langston for the fastest male serve, Beth Excell won the fastest female and Dan Walker and Imogen Looker shared the prize for the fastest junior serve with a very respectable 76mph!
The pro coaches returned to court to raise funds for another charity, Funny Blood, when first year Business Students from University of Worcester tried to hit seven balls past the pros as the first part of a fundraiser in which they are completing seven challenges in seven weeks.
The afternoon was rounded off with the pros playing a thrilling exhibition match with Pershore coaches Steve Bauer and Mike Langston.
“The whole atmosphere at the club was fantastic throughout the busy afternoon with food, raffle prizes, a quiz, some new tennis skills learnt, a lot of fun and £1,400 raised towards the clubs funds,” said a club spokesman.