HARPENDEN TENNIS CLUB played host to some of the country's top young tennis talent at the weekend as the club hosted the Harpenden Junior Open a tournament recently awarded Grand Prix status by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

LTA backing resulted in a quality field battling it out for the honours over two rain-swept days, although the dismal weather failed to affect the high standard of play.

Mark O'Keefe of Bedfordshire took top honour in the boys under-18's event, while Gosling Park tennis club produced two winners in the boy's tournaments, Mark Rawlans and George Morgan in the under-16's and under-10's respectively. Essex's Ben Smith won the boy's under-14's, while Andrew Herwitz took the under-12 title.

In the girl's events, Stephanie Humphreys, of home club Harpenden, took the under-16 title much to the delight of the watching crowd while Katie Williams of Gosling, Louise Lacing, also of Gosling and Stockton on Tees' Abbey Gully took the under-18's, under-14's and under-10's titles respectively.

June 13, 2002 17:00