RSS Feed

Related Articles

Related Categories

Flybe sponsors future tennis champs

14th April 2010 Print

Following the success of its Winter 2009 sponsorship, Flybe, has announced its continued sponsorship of local junior tennis across Cornwall and Devon with the launch of the Flybe Mini Masters’ Summer Series in conjunction with the local Lawn Tennis County Associations. 

The winners will receive similar prizes to the young players triumphing in the upcoming Winter 2009/10 series’ finals who, together with their families and coaches, will be flown out to the prestigious La Manga Club tennis centre in Spain to receive professional coaching.

The news of the South West airline’s continuing tennis sponsorship was announced during an action-packed Tennis Open Day at the Truro Tennis Centre in Cornwall by Flybe’s Director of Marketing, Simon Lilley, who was joined by Flybe Tennis Ambassador, Exeter-born Lucie Ahl, former British Number 1 women’s player and Jo-Anne Downing of the Devon & Cornwall Lawn Tennis Associations (LTA).

Today’s announcement also included the introduction of the new Flybe Feeder Tour that is open to all Devon & Cornwall LTA Tier 2 clubs to help increase first-time player participation. It sees Flybe working in partnership with Devon & Cornwall LTA to offer a number of attractive incentives to coaches and clubs in encouraging them to become involved with this important grass-roots initiative to uncover budding Andy Murrays and Laura Robsons.

Mr Lilley said: “It’s key for Flybe that not only do we follow on from the enormous success of last season’s Mini Masters that culminates in its finals later this month, but that we start to encourage wider involvement through our Flybe Feeder Tour.  We have taken great pleasure in giving young children the opportunity to experience competitive tennis over the last few months and searching for the next potential Wimbledon star.”

The Flybe Mini Masters series, now continuing into the summer season, is open to all young tennis players up to the age of 10 years old, regardless of whether or not they are existing tennis club members.  Competitions will take place at 18 tennis centres and clubs throughout Cornwall and Devon between now and August 2010, the top eight players from each county and age group (8U; 9U and 10U) going through to compete in the Mini Masters Final in Devon with the ultimate winners taking home the Flybe Mini Masters Summer Trophy.

Mr Lilley added:  “We are pleased to be able to help put junior tennis on the map in the region. Everyone is delighted at the interest the inaugural Flybe Tennis Series has generated and the resultant growth in volume and quality of young players taking up the game.”

More information is available at flybeminimasters.co.uk.