The Grove girls team from Chelmsford won the unrated division of the new Essex County LTA Junior League when the final play-offs were staged at the Southend Indoor Centre last weekend.

Grove took the title courtesy of a 4-2 win over Westcliff Lawn by four rubbers to two. The team was Vicky Emslie, Caroline Barkley, Alex Bessent and Emma Lemay.

Another team to savour success were Great Baddow who won the girls rated division.

Facing Harlow in their final, the team of Sarah Newbury, Claire Newbury, Laura Pyman and Annabel Day ran out 5-1 winners.

The Grove boys team were semi-finalists in their unrated division, before losing 5-1 to Theydon Bois, the Grove team consisting of Jack Mason, Andrew Bullock, Sean Marten and Ben Albert.

In the boys rated division, Great Baddow were also semi-finalists.

The team of Paul Hadgraft, Simon Quick, John Jevan and Ian Austin were humbled by eventual winners Hutton & Shenfield 4.5-1.5.

It was the last action from the league's inaugural season, which was set up as part of the Essex County LTA Development Programme.

It introduces competitive tennis for lower ranked players as well as beginners.

There were 22 boys teams involved and eight girls teams as the competition ran from October to December.

A new league programme is to run in the new year. For details, telephone Ray Jones, the league organiser, on 01245 601131.

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