The LTA, in partnership with GB Tennis Girls (GBTG) and the Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative (WJTI) launched the ‘GB Tennis Girls Team Challenge’ in Northumberland on Sunday 5th March 2017.
The Northumberland Club in Jesmond welcomed 16 girls from 6 local tennis clubs to enjoy the Sunday social. Players from Cramlington Community Tennis Project, Forest Hall, Bohemian Tennis Club, Northumberland Club, Northumberland Academy and David Lloyd Newcastle relished the opportunity to take part in a fun, local competition, whilst parents and guardians were also well catered for with a talk on the benefits of tennis and the competitive structure of tournaments.
The day was a predominantly all-girl affair, with players, volunteer umpires and referees all but one being female. The Mini Tennis Orange event, which is aimed at 9 & Under players, hopes to encourage young girls to keep playing tennis by providing fun, relaxed environments for them to play with friends and also through positive role models. Volunteers on the day included Rachel Doyle from Northumbria University and Cole Cartmell from Gosforth, Newcastle.
Of the event, referee Alison Cartmell said, ‘It was brilliant to see so many entries in the Mini Tennis Orange event. It was lovely to see the girls making new friends, whilst also competing against and with each other. We are really looking forward to putting on another event such as this one soon!”
