Tennis tournament hosts 2,000 local children during Schools Day with Barry Cowan
Merseyside born tennis champ Barry Cowan joined local primary schools from across Liverpool today, to take part in the tournament’s annual Schools Day. Held at Calderstones Park ahead of the main tournament event which starts tomorrow, this year’s Schools Day event saw around 2,000 local school children bussed into the park to take part in training sessions with professional tennis coaches.
The sessions were headed up by Barry Cowan, who is best known for taking World Number One, Pete Sampras to five sets at Wimbledon, after gaining a wild card entry into Wimbledon in 2001.
He said, “It’s a real privilege to be part of the tournament this year. It’s great to see so many local kids getting involved in the sport – and getting inspired to take up the game.
“Although a lot of kids get to watch professional tennis on TV, not many get to watch live matches played up close like this. British tennis is going from strength to strength and who knows, we might even find Britain’s next great tennis champ here on these courts.”
Anders Borg, Tournament Director said “As a tournament, we have a strong commitment to improving lives through the sport. One of my main aims in starting the tournament ten years ago was to help take tennis out of what can sometimes be a bit of an elitist environment, and to bring it to local young people on Merseyside.
“Since then we have worked with more than 60,000 youngsters in schools and youth clubs across the region to help introduce them to the game, and I am incredibly proud of that fact.”
_417x275.JPG)
