'Gib' test for the island's best men

GUERNSEY tennis players will be swapping the cool and possible rain of Shetland for the sunshine of Gibraltar this summer. Tennis was one of the sports not to be included in this year's NatWest Island Games on Shetland, as it could not accommodate the sport.

Instead, at the end of June, Guernsey will be travelling to Gibraltar for a tournament that includes Island Games regulars the Isle of Man, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Rhodes, Gotland and Aland.

'We all recognised the importance of keeping the rivalry between the islands alive,' said manager Rick Denton.

'No one underestimates the importance of competition at this level which contributes greatly to keeping individual standards high.'

Team captain Pieter Theron admits that he does not know much about the opposition, but judging by the 2003 Games he reckons that Gotland and Rhodes will be hard to beat, as they have some good players.

Theron, though, believes one team they will beat, is Jersey.

Having lived there and represented them at the last Island Games he says their campaign been further hampered by the fact that former gold medallist Jeremy Cross will not be travelling to Gibraltar.

Apart from the high standard of the opposition, there are two other factors that will make the tournament hard for the Guernsey team: the heat and the clay courts in Gibraltar.

The heat will favour Rhodes and the Caribbean islands and the captain reckons that dehydration and cramping could play havoc with his players.

'We're not used to drinking lots of water during our games,' he said.

'We will be taking electrolyte-enhancing drinks and eating lots of bananas for potassium to avoid cramp.'

The clay court will add to the cramps as Theron likens playing on this surface to running on sand. Guernsey play most of their tennis on artificial grass courts while most the other islands' players at the tournament ply their trade on clay, and hence they will be at an advantage.

'We're not used to playing on it,' said the South African.

'It's physically demanding and very hard on the legs. It's like running on a beach.

'The points last longer as well as there is more time to get to the ball.'

Patrick Ogier, Dominic McLuskey, Chris Hickling and Jimmy Wood will join Theron in the team and MeesPierson Reads has supplied the team with specially designed tracksuits.

Coach Denton is certain that the sport will feature at the next Island Games in Rhodes in 2007.

'Tennis will definitely be played,' he said.

'It is one of the scheduled sports and I have spoken to someone from Rhodes who has confirmed this.'

*YOUNGSTERS will have their own competition throughout the summer in the junior tennis club circuit.

The circuit proved popular last year and it is aimed at newcomers to the sport to give them an introduction to matchplay in a friendly environment.

For more information, contact Jo Robinson on 728404.