A Dundee tennis served two aces when it was awarded a pair of significant awards at the weekend.
West End Tennis Club became the first tennis club in Dundee to receive Clubmark Accreditation from the Lawn Tennis Association and it also won Club Dundee development level status from the city council.
Officials said the two prizes presented on Saturday were a major boost to the club in Shaftesbury Road. Together they would boost its status and they hoped help it encourage more members just one of whom might be the next Andy Murray.
The LTA accolade is a recognition of the club’s standard of training programme and facilities. Over 500 clubs across the UK have sought accreditation and West End is one of 53 in Scotland to be given the seal of approval.
Club president Ron Harris said, “It is a great honour for the club and recognises the hard work put in by the committee to ensure the continuing success of our club over the coming years.”
Bill Thomas, vice-chairman, added, “This gives us better support and visibility within the LTA. This means that we are operating at an improved level and people know they can join the club with confidence that they will be welcomed and receive a good standard of coaching and experience from us.”
With the current exception of Dunblane’s Andy Murray and Elena Baltacha who is from Perth, British tennis has struggled to produce top-level performers and tennis clubs are often asked if they are doing enough to help the development of talent.
Mr Thomas said this was a big issue and possibly one not entirely within the compass of the sport alone to solve.
“There is also an issue about maintaining interest. The standard of young tennis players is good and is improving all the time, but a lot of potentially good young players seem to lose interest after a few years.
“We would hope that West End Tennis Club achieving these two awards might help us in this respect.”
The club also received Club Dundee development level status, which attracts support from a professional officer to develop different aspects, including coaching education, school/club links, facility development and sourcing external funding.
Councillor Bob Duncan, the convener of leisure, arts and communities, said, “The committee has worked extremely hard to complete Club Dundee Development Level.
“The programme is a tool for clubs to ensure that they have the procedures in place to make the club a safe place to participate and to assist the club to develop its activities and hopefully encourage more people to participate in tennis.”
The awards were presented during an open day which attracted more than 50 children and adults.