POSITIVE signs for the future of county tennis came from the Hampshire Junior Closed tournament.

"I thought the standard was much higher than last year, the players were more competitive - and very well behaved," said county performance officer Colin Jakeway.

"I thought the players competed well and worked very hard. It was also a well-run and well-supported tournament."

Craig Longland celebrated winning a tennis scholarship by capturing his third successive Hamp-shire Junior Closed under-18 title.

Southampton teenager Longland beat Dorset's Matthew Saxby 6-2 6-3 in the final of the under-18 event. And he teamed up with Alex Ross for a win in the doubles event as well, beating Saxby and Jamie Dorchain in the final.

It made it a good week for Longland who gained the necessary A level grades and then heard he had been accepted for the tennis sholarship at Loughborough College, where he will be studying PE, sports science and recreation management while continuing his tennis career.

Romsey's Cath Gunn scored a double success in the girls' events, winning both the under-16 and under-18 finals.

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