Essex boys and girls teams are in action this weekend in the LTA 13 and under Inter County Cup.

The boys are the defending national champions and compete in Group One at Bath University and the team includes Ben Higgins from Gidea Park.

The rest of the team is Jagdev Sagoo, Richard Wire, Bradley Smith, Andrew Wilkinson and Michael O'Gara.

They will meet the challenge of Norfolk, Surrey and Leicestershire.

Gidea Park club coach Phil O'Leary is the team manager. Play starts on Saturday and is completed on Bank Holiday Monday.

The girls are in Group Two and play at Sutton. In the team are Katie Howson from Billericay and Emma Kitchen from Cranston Park.

They will play Sussex, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Brentwood Hard Court coach Zoe Truscott will look after the team along with the Essex County Performance Officer Howard McGuinness.

The Lionel Bass Brentwood Hard Court Junior Open tournament is to be played during the Whitsun week May 31-June 5.

This long standing and prestigious tournament attracts a huge entry with players travelling from all over the country.

There are singles events for girls and boys in age groups 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 with doubles in most age groups.

Entry closes on May 11 and for entry forms contact Marc Ward on 01277 200499.

Another tournament with its closing date coming ever closer is the Pope & Smith Chelmsford Junior League tournament. It has singles for age groups 10, 13, 15 and 18 and doubles at 14 and 18.

Entry closes early in May, and for details, contact Harry Brickwood on 01268 743838.

This coming weekend is the start of a big week for the promotion of the Game of Tennis.

The Lawn Tennis Association launches its Play Tennis 99 initiative on Saturday.

Over 100,000 people are expected to try the game at some 1,100 venues across the country.

The promotion culminates with a competition day at the All England Club in Wimbledon on Saturday, May 8 where 18 junior players new to the game, display both talent and enthusiasm will have the opportunity to play at the world's most famous tennis club.

There are chances to play being offered locally with clubs Brentwood Hard Courts (located in Childerditch Lane), Brentwood Lawn (at the Old County Ground in Brentwood) and the Hutton and Shenfield Club (in Berkley Close, Hutton) opening up their courts over the week.

Brentwood Lawn open up their courts for juniors on Saturday, May 1 and youngsters can call in at the club between 9am and 2pm.

They also offer a 'Wilson' racket testing on Thursday, May 6.

At Brentwood Hard the club is open for a Family Fun Day on Sunday, May 2 at 1pm and on Monday for adults at 2pm.

For information on what each has to offer contact one of the following Brentwood Hard -- Steve Benton on 01277 214737; Brentwood Lawn -- Les Mellor on 01277 223438; Hutton & Shenfield -- David Neale on 01277 217090.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.