THE annual Club Challenge is an open team competition that was launched in 2010 to provide a route into tennis competition for juniors with little or no experience of match play.

Steep Tennis Club have managed to win the event three times – but not since 2013. This year, Steep hosted the event for the first time, led by head coach Dave Gaterell, Alverstoke’s Josh Gook and Thornden’s Paul Scullard who thought up the idea of the Club Challenge.

A rainy morning almost scuppered the event before it had started, but players, parents and coaches decided to go ahead and were rewarded with a great day of tennis in a festival atmosphere.

Halfway through the day, Steep were trailing in second place, but managed to turn it around and claim victory by a large margin.

This year’s victors for Steep were Sasha Inkley (8/U), Harlan Seaton (8/U), Oli Patient (9/U), Zack Harris (9/U), Katy Goodship (10/U), Josh Bardoe (10/U), Olly Gray (14/U) and Skye Bardoe (14/U).

Dave Gaterell and his team are running five weeks of summer tennis camps this year. For details, contact Dave at [email protected]