Local tennis club to host top national tournament

The Scottish Clay Court Championships will be played at the sports club for the first time from Monday, September 16 until Thursday, September 19. 

The prestigious tournament is an important event in the calendar in which some of the nation’s top and up and coming players will be vying for medals, prizemoney and points to increase their ranking. 

Simon Coom, tournament director at Whitecraigs Tennis Club, is excited at the prospect of the championships coming to his club.

He said: “It’s probably the biggest event we’ve had at the club in terms of prestige and the standard of play.

“You’ve got some cracking players, that people wouldn’t normally get to see this side of the border, so the quality is going to be pretty amazing.”

The tournament will see some local talent taking part with Whitecraigs’ first team players Adam Clunie and Marcus McLaren already confirmed in the Men’s main draw and more hoping to join through the qualifying event. 

Players from across the UK will be playing in the tournament and there is both a strong Scottish and West of Scotland presence in both the Men’s and Women’s events. 

(Image: Supplied)

Simon will be playing the role of court supervisor throughout the tournament; his main concern however is the weather.

He said: “If it chucks it down with rain we’ll get through it, the clay courts can normally take a bit more of the rain than other types of courts, but fingers crossed it will be fine.”

Despite the possibility of bad weather, Simon is hopeful the high standard of tennis along with the top facilities of the club will still bring people along to spectate. 

He said: “The last few years it’s been at Craiglockhart in Edinburgh, you’d need to ask Tennis Scotland why they decided to move it but when you look at Whitecraigs as a venue, with the viewing capacity it’s second to none.

“There will be catering facilities, the bar will be open and it’s a brilliant place to sit out and watch the tennis and get close to it, we want this to be something that excites everybody.” 

The tournament commences on Monday with play beginning from 9.30am each day and expected to finish in the late afternoon, with entrance for all spectators being free.