TENNIS: Youngsters reach national camps (From The Oxford Times)

TENNIS: Youngsters reach national camps

10:30am Saturday 5th March 2011 in Tennis

Four youngsters from the White Horse Leisure & Tennis Centre in Abingdon have made it through to national camps later this month, writes JON MURRAY.

It’s a great achievement for brothers Connor and Cameron Ferguson, Leo Winyard and Raiai Jagger.

And it’s a big feather in the cap for the Abingdon tennis centre.

It is the most ten and under players they have had through to national camps at one time.

Many other much more established tennis centres in the country only manage to get one through in each age group.

Connor, 8, Cameron, 9, Leo, 9, and Raia, 9, have progressed through the Lawn Tennis Association’s talent identification (ID) structure, winning through county ID and regional ID days.

Overseeing their development are Ed Isard, the WHLTC’s head of performance, Nick Elliott, director of tennis, and coaches Olly Carr and Jon Maskens.

The quartet, part of the tennis centre’s Performance Programme, all train around five times a week, as well as doing specialised fitness work.

Isard said: “It’s great news for the White Horse Centre.

“It is an increase on the number we had through last year, and is a massive level of success for the players.

“In each age group, there will be only around 35 players from the whole country at the national camps.

“We’ve constantly had players coming through at Abingdon, but now we’re getting a lot more depth, which is great to see.”