LOCAL PLAYERS INVITED TO PLAY AT PRESTIGIOUS TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Local tennis stars Katy Dunne from Hemel Hemstead and  Sophie Watts from Hitchin have been invited to compete in the prestigious AEGON Winter Grand Prix Masters by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) following an impressive run of form at national level competitions over the last few months. 

 The invitation-only tournament is the pinnacle of the winter British Tennis season and showcases the talent of some of the best young players in the country.

 Taking place at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, London from 26 – 28 February 2010, the fifteen-year-old who trains at Halton Tennis Centre and is part of the LTA’s AEGON FutureStars programme, will be competing in the 16&U category. Dunne is one of only sixteen players to be invited, having earned her place by accumulating enough ranking points from LTA tournaments throughout the winter.

Competition will be fierce and the overall winner will pick up the coveted AEGON Winter Masters trophy.

 Steven Martens, Player Director of the LTA, said:

“The 16 and under AEGON masters brings together the best boys and girls in the country, who have been playing in this national Grand prix circuit throughout the winter. Competition at a young age is vitally important in developing both the tactical and mental competitive qualities the players need to have in place as they progress and start to play internationally.

 The tennis should be of a very high standard with a number of competitors having already played and been successful in international events earlier in the winter."

 Roger Draper, Chief Executive of the LTA, said: “British Tennis is committed to creating and improving competitive opportunities for players of all ages and abilities and the AEGON Winter Grand Prix Masters is a great example of this. Since 2006 there has been a 300% increase in the number of young people who play six or more tournaments a year, but this is a figure British Tennis is driving to increase yet further in order to create more winners”.

For more information please go to www.lta.org.uk