TENNIS starlets Katharine Baker and Claire Ricketts enhanced their glowing reputations last weekend as they helped Batchwood Tennis Centre in St Albans lift the under 17 girls Junior National Club League Trophy held at Gosling Sports Park, Welwyn Garden City.

A large crowd gathered for the finals, which featured events for both girls and boys at under 11, under 13, under 15 as well as under 17 age groups.

The talented duo who hail from Watford both played integral roles in defeating Riverside, Chiswick, in the regional final a fortnight earlier and continued their fine partnership with a straight sets win in the doubles event over Alverley in the semi final on Friday evening.

The win was also a triumph for their coaches, Liz Jones and Mandy Franks, who have been nominated by the LTA, against two others, for the Coach of the Year awards.

The previous week both girls had been in action in the The National Championships held in Bolton.

Baker, who has an ITF ranking of 406, reached the final round of qualifying with Ricketts, occupying a position of 168, producing a superb performance to reach the second round of the tournament where she lost to the number one seed.

Baker has just been selected by the LTA to play for Great Britain in a friendly international against Sweden in mid-November at Leeds.

Both girls will then travel to Florida on Tuesday, November 20 for three tournaments in the USA culminating in the Orange Bowl, reputedly the most prestigious junior tournament in the world.

November 1, 2001 12:25