Sowing the seeds for tennis success

8:28am Tuesday 8th April 2008

Wallington Tennis Club head coach Paul Weaver believes a £5,000 cash-boost could help break a vicious cycle and help unearth a long awaited British Wimbledon champion The Hillside Gardens club is battling back after fire wrecked the clubhouse it shares with Wallington cricket and hockey clubs more than a decade ago.

Tennis has been in steady decline in the area, but recent attempts to revive its flagging fortunes are beginning to bear fruit at the club's two-court home.

It means Weaver is hoping to launch a project to resurrect the club's two grass courts in a bid to house its blossoming membership, which now stands at close to three figures.

At the same time, Weaver itends to give children in the area access to courts more akin to SW19 than West Croydon.

"If we want a British singles champion at Wimbledon we have to get kids playing on grass from an early age," he said.

"It is a bit like skiers have to get on snow young to be any good.

"There aren't many clubs with grass courts around any more and if we can get more kids onto our courts there is no reason why we can't find someone with talent on the surface.

"We have the courts, but cannot afford to maintain them.

"About £5,000 or £6,000 is about all that would be needed to get them running properly again.

"Our problem is we are a small club and haven't got a big junior membership, which means we don't quality for LTA funding.

"But, without more court space, we cannot hope to progress.

"Membership declined massively after fire so we are stuck in a vicious circle, really, and an influx of sponsorship could help break it."

The club is offering a host of sponsorship packages to help get the project to refurbish its grass courts. For details visit wallingtonsportsclub.co.uk

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