STEEP Tennis Club’s juniors have reclaimed the club challenge trophy.

This year was the seventh annual club challenge event – a team competition that began in 2010 to provide a route into tennis competition for young juniors with only a small amount or no experience in match play.

Eight players from each participating club, two from each age group from eight years old to approximately 12/13 years old, took part for their respective clubs.

Steep Tennis Club have managed to win the event three times – but had not won it since 2013.

Steep hosted the event for the first time, led by Steep head coach Dave Gaterell, Alverstoke’s Josh Gook and Thornden’s head coach Paul Scullard, who first thought up the idea of club challenge.

A rainy start to the day almost scuppered the event before it began – but having decided to carry on regardless, players, parents and coaches were rewarded with a good day of tennis, fun and food in a festival atmosphere.

Halfway through the day Steep were trailing in second place, but they managed to turn the second half of the day around and claim victory by a large margin – much to the delight of the young players, many of whom were playing in their first event.

All teams played each other, playing two singles and one doubles against each team in each age group.

This year’s victors for Steep were Sasha Inkley, Harlan Seaton, Oli Patient, Zack Harris, Katy Goodship, Josh Bardoe, Olly Gray and Skye Bardoe.