Wales’ rising tennis stars aim to follow Murray’s footsteps

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Fourteen of Wales’ top young tennis players have been accepted to compete in the AEGON British Junior Tennis Championship – a tournament whose previous winners include Andy Murray and Elena Baltacha.

The event, held at venues in Nottingham and Bournemouth, from Sunday August 19,  brings together the top youngsters in each age category from across Britain.

The Welsh entries are:

12&U Boys – Callum Findlay (Cardiff); Joseph White (Cardiff); James Story (Cardiff);

12&U Girls – Elin Anderson (Llandudno);

14&U Boys – Matthew Story (Cardiff);

14&U Girls - Rebekah OLoughlin (Crickhowell); Poppy Davies (Cardiff); Alice Warren (Swansea);

16&U Boys – Luke Simeone (Swansea);

16&U Girls – Emily Watson (Colwyn Bay);

18&U Boys – James Griffin (Cardiff); Simon Pritchard (Newport); Nicholas Jones  (Newtown);

18&U Girls – Kathryn Hughes (Wrexham)..

Matthew Story won the 14U doubles in the Junior International Tournament in Edinburgh last month, and Elin Anderson, Luke Simeone and Kathryn Hughes all gained their first Tennis Europe ranking points at the same event.

“Just being accepted for the British Championship is an achievement,” said Tennis Wales chief executive, Peter Drew. “Playing in a prestigious national tournament is a valuable experience, especially for those with aspirations to play professionally.

“After some recent excellent performances in Edinburgh and elsewhere, I would expect our players to do very well.”

The tournament has been running for more than a century and is among the most prestigious titles available to young players in Britain.

Information on all aspects of tennis in Wales is available from Tennis Wales on 029 2046 3335 or www.lta.org.uk/in-your-area/Wales/