The 2009 AEGON British Junior National Championships begin on Saturday 8th August.  The tournament has been running for 101 years and sees the top juniors in the country battle for the prestigious title of National Champion in the 12&Under, 14&Under, 16&Under and 18&Under age groups.

The event has been held at various famous tennis venues across the country including, Queens Club, Devonshire Park in Eastbourne, Nottingham Tennis Centre and on shale courts at the All England Lawn Tennis Club between 1924 and 1956.

The West Hants Club in Bournemouth has been home to the championships on their American green clay courts since 2000. The club has a reputation as one of the finest sports clubs in the area and has a sporting history going as far back as the 1920’s. From 2008 the 18&Under event has held on outdoor hard courts at the National Tennis Centre to help the players prepare for the summer hard court season.
 
The tournament has a rich history of former Champions – Andy Murray displayed his precocious talents as a junior by winning the U12 and U14 categories, the British No. 1 also took home an U15 title. In 1992 former British No. 1 Tim Henman claimed both the U18 Singles and Doubles titles. On the Girls’ side the current top 3 British women Anne Keothavong, Elena Baltacha and Katie O’Brien all won U18 singles titles.

18 & Under, National Tennis Centre 8th – 14th August

In 2008 top seeded Dan Cox from Lancashire took the Boy’s title with a 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-1 victory over the second seed Marcus Willis in a best of five sets final.

There was also success for the top seed on the Girls’ side with Yorkshire’s Tara Moore coming from behind to beat fourth seed Jade Windley 4-6 6-4 6-1 in the final having survived 7-5 in the 3rd set against fifth seeded Heather Watson in the semi-finals.

This year Ahmed El Menshawy, Jack Carpenter, Alastair Barnes and Oliver Golding will be among the top contenders for the Boy’s title.  Jocelyn Rae, Samantha Vickers, Hannah James and Stephanie Cornish will be amongst the favourites in the Girls’ event.

16 & Under, West Hants Club 17th – 23rd August

Last year Somerset’s 8th seeded James Marsalek took home the Boy’s title beating qualifier Ben Davis 7-5 5-7 6-3 in a highly competitive final. Marsalek had beaten top seed George Morgan in the semi-finals. 

In the Girls’ event top seed Jessica Ren from Yorkshire overcame second seed Amy Askew 6-4 6-2 to claim victory. Askew had prevented an all-Ren final with a narrow 3-6 7-6(7-1)7-6(7-3) victory over Jessica’s sister Jennifer in the semi-finals.

Amongst the favourites for the 2009 Boy’s title will be Andrew Bettles, George Morgan, James Hignett and Joshua Poullet. Elisha Gabb, Lucy Brown, Jennifer Ren and Joanna Henderson are all expected to challenge for the Girls’ crown.

14 & Under, West Hants Club 8th – 13th August

Wiltshire’s Sam Hutt the fifth seed took the 2008 14&Under Boy’s crown with a see-saw 6-1 1-6 7-6 (7-4) win over fourth seed Joshua Ward-Hibbert. Hutt had knocked out top seed Luke Bambridge in the quarter finals. Top seeded Joanna Henderson from North Scotland did not drop a set in winning the Girls’ event. In the final Henderson defeated second seed Caitlin Hindmarsh 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

Favourites for the Boy’s title this year will be led by Kyle Edmund, Luke Bambridge, Chris Pearce and Shakeel Manji. On the Girls’ side Katie Dunn, Eleanor Dean, Beth Askew and Alice. Keddie will all be expected to mount a strong challenge.

12 & Under, West Hants Club 13th – 19th August

In a tussle between the top seeds it was Bedfordshire’s second seeded Joshua Sapwell who claimed the 2008 Boy’s title beating top seed Peter Ashley 6-3 4-6 7-5. Top seed Eleanor Dean from Yorkshire dropped just 13 games in winning the Girls’ title, in the final she defeated fourth seed Eden Silva 6-0 6-3.

This year Lucas Taylor, Vincent Gillespie, Jonathan Gray and Ross Wilson will be amongst the favourites for the Boy’s title. Ifeoma Kulcher, Freya Christie, Lana Rush and Anna Brogan are expected to go far in the Girls’ event.

Invitational Events

As well as the main age group events – which include doubles as well as singles - two invitational events are being held for younger age groups. In Roehampton a 9&Under invitational will take place and in Bournemouth a 10&Under invitational will be held, each will have a 16 player draw for boys and girls. In 2008 Oxfordshire’s Charlie Naylor and West Scotland’s Maia Lumsden won the 10&Under invitational event. 2009 is the debut for the 9&Under Invitational.

Entry is free for spectators at both venues and will be a great opportunity to see the next generation of British talent in action.