Last week Andy Murray led the way for British tennis with a fine display at the Australian Open, but in the Under 14’s, Bedfordshire’s Josh Sapwell led the way for British Junior Boys in France having reached the quarter-finals in the singles and semi finals in the doubles. The 13 year old who lives in Flitwick has been at the top of his age group in Britain for the past 4 years having won the Under 12’s National title in 2008 and a European Grade 3 event in Sweden in November 2009.

Great Brickhill Camp (Ages 5-10 years)

Leighton Buzzard Camp (Ages 4-9 years)

MK Ace Tennis Coaching Courses in Milton Keynes (Ages 4 years-Adult)

Stuart Lovell Tennis Coaching Courses at Milton Keynes TC (Ages 2 years-Adult)

Tennis Attitude Mini Tennis Courses at Aylesbury TC (Ages 5-7 years)

Tennis Attitude Junior Tennis Courses at Aylesbury TC (Ages 7-18 years)

Andy Murray and Laura Robson survived a closely fought battle with Russia’s Igor Andreev and Elena Dementieva (6-4, 6-7(6/8), 7-6) to move through to the final of the Hopman Cup (Perth, Australia) on Saturday where they will meet Spain’s Tommy Robredo and Maria Jose Sanchez Martinez.  Earlier in the day Robson lost to Dementieva 4-6, 0-6, however, Murray defeated Igor Andreev 6-1,6-0.

The last male tennis player to receive the Associated Press’s Athlete of the Year Award was John McEnroe back in 1981. The only other was Don Budge in1937 and 1938, for being the first player to complete a calendar Grand Slam. Though the AP prefers to pick Americans for their annual sports award – unless a foreign athlete does something extraordinary – neither Pete Sampras nor Andre Agassi has ever made the cut. So maybe it shouldn’t be the biggest surprise that NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson won out 42 to 30 votes over Roger Federer and his world record 15 Grand Slam titles. Even if Johnson is a race car driver, which I’m told takes ‘skill’.

Tennis Works and TennisLife have joined forces to offer any tennis enthusiast a subscription to the ONLY tennis magazine that produces 9 issues a year. It is a great way for the UK to keep in touch with what is happening both in British and International tennis, with articles from World Class coaches, the latest news on the tour and information at grass roots level.

On Mon 7th December, over 20 people attended the Tennis Works Forum with guest presenter, Adrian Rattenbury. Adrian is the President of the RPT Europe, a coach education organisation that originated in Spain and started in the UK 12 years ago. The presentation was regarding Spanish Drills, in which Adrian took the audience through the various drills that are used in the successful Spanish Academies. The session also included Adrian analysing the player who is was working with and ways in which you would develop their game.