Junior Watch: British tennis players – 22nd November

Who's in?

Find out which juniors have reached the latter stages of junior ITF and Tennis Europe events around the world.

View the ITF Junior Calendar.

View the Tennis Europe Calendar.

Getting to know

Harriet Dart, Aegon GB Pro-Series Edgbaston runner-up

We caught up with Harriet Dart after her first appearance in an ITF final at the Aegon GB Pro-Series in Edgbaston. In the final, 16 year-old Dart played top seed Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic. Dart sealed the runner-up spot after a 6-4, 6-2 loss.

How did it feel to reach your first AEGON GB Pro Series final?

I was really happy to reach the final of my first AEGON Pro Series event. I was taking it one match at a time, not looking too far ahead and keeping a good attitude. I felt I was a bit unlucky in the final, she was a tough opponent and been ranked inside the world’s Top 100. 

How did you get into Tennis?

I lived two minutes from Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club as a kid and went along with my mum to play. I remember thinking a tennis racquet was actually a guitar when I was very young but I started playing when I was around six.

What are the strengths in your game?

I like to play aggressive and I would say my backhand down the line is my best shot.

Has the success of Laura Robson and Heather Watson, inspired you more and shown you what can happen?

Definitely, it’s great that there are some really good British women coming through now and hopefully it will inspire the rest of us, and I would like to be one of them. 

What are your goals for the future?

In the future, I would like to keep improving and my goal next year is to play all the junior Slams.

Harriet Dart finishes as runner-up in Edgbaston

What else is new?

Become part of the Ball Crew for the Aegon British Tour Masters Final

The Aegon British Tour Masters Final is looking for additional ball crew to help out at the national men’s & women’s indoor event at the Indoors Nottingham Tennis Centre on Sunday 2 December. This event involves the top 32 men and women on the British tennis national Leaderboard.

Anyone interested in joining the team, please contact richard.joyner@lta.org.uk

Don’t worry about whether you have been part of a ball crew team before as a training session will be held in advance.

Find out more about the AEGON British Tour Maters

One more thing

Aegon Team Tennis Schools Year 8 & 10 Regional Quarter Finals: Review

After two days of competitive secondary schools tennis across four venues the final 16 teams in the country have booked their place at the Year 8 & 10 National Finals which will take place at Bolton Arena in less than two weeks.

The first day of play saw 32 girls tennis teams from across Great Britain take to the courts. The most dominant school across the country proved to be Talbot Heath School from Dorset who lived up to their number 1 seeding in both the Year 8 and Year 10 girls events to qualify for the National Finals in both events for the third consecutive year.

AEGON Team Tennis Schools Year 8 & 10 Regional Quarter Finals: Review

Getting you involved

Thanks for reading this week's Junior Watch. If you have any letters, thoughts, comments, questions about the piece or anything else to do with junior tennis please get in touch.

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