Millie Mae Matthews, our Notts number one at 14U, has had a great start to the spring and summer season.
In March she qualified to play in the Girls National 16 and under Finals. Only 16 girls from the country qualify for this and Millie did really well to reach the semi-finals as she was playing some who were 3 years older than herself . In the first round of 16, Millie beat Monet Baptiste 6-2 7-5; in the quarter-finals, she then beat the No 4 seeds Isabelle Marshall 0-6 6-2 6-1 . In the semi-final, Millie played the No 1 seed Aleksandra Ruggien and lost 4-6 0-6 . All in all an excellent result to finish in the top 4 against bigger stronger older players . Millie then went to the National Camp for 4 days at the National Tennis Centre at Roehampton.
More recently, in the first National Tour 14 and under Grade 2 at Sutton in Surrey, Millie was seeded 2 and reached the final beating Isobel Eaton from Suffolk in round 1 7-5 6-1after being 1-4 down in the first set . She then beat Eleanor Nobbs from Avon 6-3 6-2 after being 1-3 down in first set . In the quarter-final, Millie beat Abbie Tyler from Dorset 6-4 6-2 after again being 1-4 down in the first set . She went on to beat Natalya Ogunwale from Bedfordshire 6-4 6-3 in the semi-final. Millie lost to Aisling McGrane from Hampshire & Isle of Wight in the final 3-6 3-6 .
She also reached the doubles semi final playing with Natalya Ogunwale, losing to Abbie Tyler and Aisling McGrane 4-6 3-6 .
Millie has been now been invited to phase 3 of the LTA National camp to a one week training camp at La Manga in Spain for the top 10 girls in Great Britain at 14 and under in the 1st week in May .
Certainly worth watching out for Millie Mae this week in the Grade 2 Notts Junior Open which started on Sunday at the Nottingham Tennis Centre.