Monmouth Tennis Club celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this month, but the sport's connections with the town go back at least 400 years. The earliest record of tennis being played in Monmouth dates back to the late 17th century, when one Thomas Belchier – a 'gentleman of Monmouth' – leased a piece of wasteland believed to be behind Monnow Street and backing onto where Lloyds Bank now is from the local council, on condition that he included in his plans 'a sufficient house or roof for tennis to play at tennis upon'. This would have been for short tennis, then popular on the continent and brought over here by King Henry VIII. Later, in Victorian times, a club playing a game much more akin to tennis as we now know it, was established at Mayhill. This was known to be still going strong in 1925. Monmouth Tennis Club was formed in 1994 and is now going from strength to strength on Chippenham Fields. An informal group meets for social tennis on Sunday mornings and, through the summer, on Tuesday evenings. These sessions are not competitive so no-one worries if you have a 'bad tennis day'. The club also holds the occasional in-house tournament. The club currently has two ladies doubles teams playing in south east Wales leagues. Recently resurfaced all-weather hard courts mean members can play all year round. All members have automatic entry into the British Tennis Association annual Wimbledon Ticket Draw through the club's affiliation with the BTA. The club is strongly committed to developing young talent with regular, well attended coaching sessions for junior and secondary age students every Friday afternoon in term-time and Summer Schools in the school holidays. In addition, club coach Sean Jones will shortly be launching Tots' Tennis (ages three to five) on Fridays and a Mini-Advance Orange Squad (school years 3 to 4) along with Cardio Tennis for adults on Sunday afternoons. For membership and general information call Hilary Trenear on 01600 715526, for coaching call Sean Jones on 07714 283690. For more general information visit http://www.monmouthten">www.monmouthten nis.net