World number 2 ranked player Sarah Vigrass will be in action at Hatfield House

HATFIELD House Tennis Club will be hosting the Billy Ross-Skinner British Mixed Doubles Invitation Real Tennis Championship again, which starts this Friday.

The event will be sponsored by Neptune Investment Management.

The Championship is open to the top 16 ladies available, and their male partners, selected from a spread of clubs throughout the country to provide balanced pairings.

Most of the ladies competing have appeared in this competition previously and five of the 16 are previous winners.

Prested Hall’s Sarah Vigrass is the highest ranked lady, as current World No. 2, with Holyport’s Karen Hird, who won the title in 2008 and 2009 and Freddy Adam from Oxford closely behind her as World Nos. 3 and 4 respectively.

Although well down the singles rankings, last year’s winner Sara Metherell from Queens will need watching again, as will Oxford’s Elli Harris, who has been in the winning combination three times in nine years.

Louise Mercier, who won the event in 2004 and Catherine Walker, who has been runner-up twice, will be the only Hatfield ladies participating.

Of the men competing, Johnny Beale (Bristol & Bath) the holder, will be facing two former winners in Anthony Clake from Oxford and Hatfield player Steve Brewerton, as well as former finalist Jonathan Fisher and Nick Brodie, both from Hatfield.

The Championship starts at 10am this Friday (February 3) and will continue through to the final, which is scheduled to be played at 4pm on Sunday (February 5).

Visitors will be welcome at any time and should approach the club via the Fore Street entrance to Hatfield House. This is an ideal opportunity to see this remarkable medieval sport played to a very high standard.

For further details contact Jon Dawes, head professional on 01707 273391 and for those who may be interested in learning more about the sport, visit the club’s website at www.hatfieldhouserealtennis.com.