Basford Veteran Gets Great Britain Call-Up

TENNIS by Jackie Thorley

JUNE Fisher has fulfilled a lifelong dream by winning selection to the Great Britain veterans' team. The England over-65s player, who competes for Basford, received a call-up for the ITF World Championships in Australia. June, aged 66, said: "I've played for England about nine or 10 times during the last 15 years, but it has just been a lifelong ambition to play for Great Britain. "It's a dream come true and I can hardly believe it."

The Newcastle-based club's 'A' team member is named in the British squad of four that will travel to Perth for the Super Seniors team event in November. The competition will include some of the strongest teams in the world, including the United States, Germany, France, Spain and Netherlands. Fisher has opted to extend her stay Down Under to compete in the individual over-65 world championships, which take place the following week.

A TRIP to SW19 to compete on the hallowed Wimbledon turf is at stake for 40 Staffordshire juniors when they meet in the county finals of a national event this weekend. The opening round of the Road to Wimbledon Championships is held annually at clubs and schools throughout Britain, with winners progressing to their county final. The champions – and some runners-up – are guaranteed a place at the All England Club in August to take on Britain's best under-14 players. Basford player Amy Ellis clinched a place in the girls' draw two seasons in a row and, although this year she is too old to take part, the club is pinning its hopes on junior member Ben Stannard. The 14-year-old Stafford Grammar School pupil, who competes for Basford men and also trains at Tipton, is seeded one in the county final at Tipton Sports Academy. But he is expected to face a tough challenge from South Staffs stars Denham Williams, Liam Hadfield and George Southall. Basford teenager Ryan Maughan will also compete in the Staffs showdown, where he will be joined by Stone juniors Matt Jones and Bradley Wilkinson.

Jordan Round and Staffs under-13s player John Thornhill will represent Draycott at the event. Two North Staffs schools also held qualifying events, with Cameron Rhodes running out as winner at Clayton Hall, while Madeley High quartet Dan Smith, Evan Jones, Nicol Jefferies and Ellie Cooper will also gun for glory at Tipton.

Sentinel, 30 June 2009
Courtesy of The Sentinel News & Media