THE new Fleming Park Tennis Centre has been providing whole-school tournaments at eight schools in the Eastleigh area.

The tournaments have been open to every child in each of the schools Merdon, Fryern, St Francis, St Swithun Wells, Norwood, Nightingale, Cherbourg and Crescent and have provided quick-fire competitive matches.

Development director Christine Wheeler-Osman explained that the goal had been to generate a huge buzz around tennis throughout the schools and to encourage non-tennis-players to have a go at the sport.

"We are working closely with Hampshire & IOW LTA, Eastleigh Borough Council, the Toynbee School Sports Partnership and Fleming Park to develop tennis in the local area," said Wheeler-Osman.

"Schools tournaments help us to reach out to a huge number of children in a relatively short space of time. We will be following these events with curriculum time coaching within the schools throughout the autumn."

Both the children and their parents were offered subsidised coaching at the Fleming Park Tennis Centre.

Wheeler-Osman continued: "We are focused on providing a wide range of tennis opportunities for all of Eastleigh's residents. To make a success of the tennis centre, we are keen to involve both adults and children."

More about the Fleming Park Tennis Centre is available on www.tennis-service.net.