The Essex girls and boys teams both competed in the final stages of the LTA 10 & under Inter County competitions, which were held at Bisham Abbey.

By way of a treat for their successes so far the teams were taken to watch the Davis Cup match at Wimbledon on Friday.

The young players were able to let off steam by giving vocal support to both Greg Rudseski and Tim Henman.

The more serious business for the Essex teams came on Saturday and Sunday when they played from the quarter final stages.

The girls beat Oxfordshire 3-1 to go into the last four, but then lost 3-0 to Yorkshire.

In the third place play off they beat Lancashire 3-1.

Helen Parrish, a member at Brentwood Hard, was in the team along with Bryony Hunter (Harlow) and Francesca Edgeson (Coggeshall). Jessica Bryan of Cranston Park was a reserve and finished in second place in a special competition.

The boys also reached the semi-final stage after beating Somerset 3-0.

In the semi-finals, they lost 3-0 to Lincolnshire 3-0 and also the play-off 3-0 to Middlesex, so Essex finished in fourth place.

The team was Ben Levi and Simon Weatherup from Gidea Park, Daniel Bagguley from Brentwood Hard. Harry Jenkins from Cranston Park was the reserve and he was also runner up in his event.

There is still a last chance to enter the Essex Open Junior Tennis tournament which is being hosted by Gidea Park starting on Monday 31st July 31.

The draw is being held tomorrow but there are a few spaces in some events. For details, telephone Lisa Huggett on 01708 630985.

The Essex County Closed Junior championships are being held at Thorpe Bay at the end of August.

The closing date for entry is July 29, and the person to telephone for details is Alan Padbury on 01702 587436.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.