Tournament biggest yet

THE 10th Mini Wimbledon Tournament is the biggest yet. Organiser Geoff Martel was delighted to reveal yesterday, the first day of this year's event, that he expects to have over 140 entries competing over the two weeks of friendly competition from six-year-olds up to the 15-and-under category.

'It's superb. It just shows there are people out there who want to have friendly games and want to take part,' he said.

It was the younger age groups who got the tournament under way with the beginners playing soft orange ball tennis within the service boxes, basically the next stage on from short tennis, while those slightly older were playing green balls on a full court which is the level below normal tennis.

They play tie-break games, the first to seven points, to give them lots of short games during the session. This format follows Lawn Tennis Association guidelines.

But the main objective for Martel was to make sure the youngsters enjoy the event.

'The aim is just to go out and play somebody different and have their own Wimbledon tournament.

'Being Wimbledon fortnight, they do take notice of what goes on on the television and children like to emulate the people they see playing.

'This makes them feel part of of the tennis scene and if we can use that to get them involved in the long-term then great.'

And as they look to copy the likes of Tim Henman, Roger Federer and the Williams sisters, their standard improves.

'By the end of the two weeks you certainly will notice an improvement,' said Martel.

'The more matches they have, the better, but it is important to make them fun and friendly so they play a lot of different people of their own standard.

'It is alright having coaching but there is no substitute for playing matches because a competitive environment is a lot different.

'The game is not an easy one and if they are not nurtured correctly we could lose them to other sports. It is down to us to keep them motivated.'

This year's event is being sponsored by St Margaret's Lodge Hotel and Martel believes that support has helped attract such a large number of players because it has enabled them to hold a presentation night along the same lines as the main Wimbledon event.

'This is the first year we have had sponsorship and that has made a big difference,' he said.

'We are going to have our own Wimbledon Ball, which is going to be a disco with food, and that has made it more of an occasion and everyone is going to go away with something, which is important.'

Martel hopes that one day some of the children who feature over the next two weeks at the Old Girls Grammar School courts will go on to provide a healthy future for tennis.

'If you look at the past winners they have all gone on to play for Guernsey or the Channel Islands.'