Take it as red at Bearsden LTC

The club in Jubilee Gardens is among clubs from all over Britain who signed up for the LTA Quorn Cup Red Ball family tournament.

The event is part of a national series of fun tournaments organised by the sport’s governing body which are aimed at involving more club players in club tennis. And the new-style tournament certainly proved a winner with all those who took part.

The event involves matches between family doubles partnerships - with one player being aged 10 or under and the other a parent or adult family member.

Matches are played on a mini red size court, with red balls and mini rackets and the winners proceed to a national final at an LTA grass court event later in the month.

A total of 11 couples took part in the event at Bearsden with the format being round robins and elimination finals.

With 25 matches having been played, the semi-finals were between Michael Mazoyer, partnered by his father Paul, and Craig Christie, with his dad Gordon.

After a keenly contested match the Christies just scraped home 10-8 10-9.

The other semi-final was an even tighter contest between Andrew Wilson and his mum Fiona, and Ian Fodor playing with his father Bogdan.

After three very close sets, the Fodors just qualified for the final, winning 7-10 10-6 7-3.

And in the final the Christies were the eventual winners 10-9 10-6.

All those who participated claimed the event to have been good fun and an outstanding success.

Following their victory Craig and Gordon took part in the national finals at the Manchester LTA Grasscourt Championships last weekend where they finished runners-up, met top professionals and had a day to remember.

This Sunday the club stages its 40th annual invitation tournament which will involve eight clubs and include a vintage tennis match with players dressed in kit of yesteryear and using wooden rackets.

The event was originally held as a ‘one-off’ to mark the club’s 90th birthday but has been going ever since.