THE Totally Tennis Performance Programme, which has national performance status-accreditation from the Lawn Tennis Association, is set to reach new heights with the arrival of a performance coach from the Ukraine.

Inga Sydorenko, 25, will be joining performance coaches Nigel Long and Shane Deacon to offer the centre's top players a daily comprehensive training programme, which is enhanced by fitness training at the QMC gym.

With the arrival of Sydorenko, the full-time squad, which includes national players Eliot Rowberry and brothers Jack and Matthew Waissen, will be enlarged from the current four players benefiting from an enhanced training programme to the centre's top 10.

Sydorenko, who came to this country earlier this year to improve her English and experience living in a different country and culture, has been playing tennis in the Ukraine since she was six.

She has trained and played with some of Eastern Europe's top players and the climax of her tennis career was winning the title of Ukrainian champion for two consecutive years in 1992 and 1993.

In the early 1990s, she was in the top 20 ranked players in the then USSR, rising to a top 10 position in 1994.

As with many sports, the training mentality in Eastern Europe is extremely intense and all the players that Sydorenko coaches will benefit from her good technical knowledge.

She will bring her exceptional experience to the centre and, in addition, she will enhance the adult programme, offering individual coaching for adults during the evenings.

Tennis director Nigel Long said: "Inga will be a great asset to the performance training at Totally Tennis, expanding the award-winning programme we already run.

"Her training mentality is intense and her first comment on seeing the performance players was that they need to be playing at least four hours a day.

"Now we are in a position to offer our best 10 players that fantastic opportunity."

For more information on the Totally Tennis performance programme or the availability of adult lessons with Sydorenko, contact the centre office on 01256 358816.