Nine junior players from the Malta Tennis Federation, three girls and six boys, have just competed in two Level 3 tournaments in England.
The first event was held at the renowned Torquay Tennis Club which is the largest of the Level 3 LTA rating tournaments played in the United Kingdom.
Raphael Sammut and Matthew Cassar Torregiani made it to the fourth round of a 128-player draw but Matthew’s twin brother, Bernard, battled through all seven rounds, sometimes playing against higher-ranked players, to win the U-16 tournament.
And to add to his singles title, Bernard then joined Matthew to clinch the U-18 doubles, also beating the top seeds in the semi-final on their way to the title.
Other notable wins in Torquay came from the girls.
Katrina Sammut won the U-12 competition and the U-14 consolation event. Alexia Cassar reached the U-14 quarter-finals and then narrowly lost the U-16 consolation final.
The team then travelled to the Midlands for the Edgbaston Archery and Lawn Tennis tournament in Birmingham.
Ben Farrugia and Bettina Booker, on their first trip to the UK, scored some commendable results.
Farrugia won the U-12 consolation draw and Booker made the last eight of the U-14 main draw before reaching the semi-finals of the consolation event.
Sammut and Cassar were paired against each other in the U-14 final with the former emerging winner after a closely-fought match.
Zach Ciappara lost in the quarter-finals of the U-14 tournament but along with Katrina Sammut they won the U-18 mixed doubles event.
The older boys also performed creditably in Birmingham, Bernard and Raphael Sammut both won through to the quarter-finals of the U-16 boys as the Cassar Torregiani duo again made a formidable doubles team and battled their way to the final.
The federation said coaches Robert Tarpey and Omar Suduka were both satisfied with the Maltese juniors’ performance.
David Farrugia Sacco, the Maltese tennis federation president, also pointed out that the trip to the United Kingdom has become an annual event where Maltese junior playersare given much needed international match practice.
“At the MTF we’re committed to see as many juniors as possible play overseas for them to improve their level of play,” he said.