A GROUP of Year 10 tennis players are set to face some of the country’s best young tennis stars as they prepare to take part in the Lawn Tennis Association national finals.

Peter Swinnerton, Jacob Popplewell, Matt Harris, Harry Fenton and Guy Welti of Ellesmere College, made up the team which won their county section in the summer which saw them through to the regional finals.

They then went on to beat the number one and number two seeds in the regional finals, beating King Edward’s Camp School, Warwick in the semi-final and Magdalen College School, Oxford in the final.

As a result, the team have now reached the UK’s top four and will play in the national finals in Bolton against the winners of the Southwest (Millfield – Somerset), the Southeast (Reeds – Surrey) and the North (Merchiston – Edinburgh) later this month.

Stephen Welti, the senior performance coach and director of tennis at Ellesmere’s tennis academy, was quick to commend the team’s hard work throughout the season so far.

“These competitions are tough and players need to be at the top of their game each time they perform,” he said.

“The players have worked hard in their training sessions and have achieved some great results throughout the year. I am very proud of them all.

“Last year, the Year 8 girls team reached the national final of the same event, leaving the boys with a lot to prove this year.

“However, they have lived up to their promise and will travel to Bolton Arena with their heads held high.”

The future looks bright with four of the five players young enough to compete in this event again next year.

Harry Fenton, the captain, is the only player not to be eligible next year.

He said: “I can’t wait to play at Bolton against the best Schools in the UK.

“On paper we shouldn’t win the event as our ratings are lower than the other teams, but that hasn’t stopped us so far.”