Junior club tennis across South Wales has got under way, with over 120 teams participating in the Aegon team tennis age-group leagues.

The leagues are part of the LTA’s national competition sponsored by its new lead partner, Aegon, and organised locally by the South Wales division of Tennis Wales.

Each team will play between four and six matches against other clubs in their area, with the group winners progressing to play-offs to find the South Wales champions.

"With participating clubs spread right across South Wales, from Aberystwyth to Newport and Crickhowell to Bishopston, and in age groups from 8 to 18, there is a huge amount of competitive tennis to be played over the next three months," said Mike Clarke, South Wales county secretary.

Alongside the junior leagues is the Aegon team tennis open league for all those over 15. This year 12 men’s teams and eight ladies’ teams have been entered into the South Wales County divisions.

This is the pinnacle of South Wales competitive tennis with the county champions progressing to the regional play-offs to qualify for national league competition next year.

Last year’s men’s champions from David Lloyd Cardiff will be playing in the national league at venues in Penzance, Exeter and Southampton this year. Other clubs competing in the national league include Cardiff, Swansea and Mackintosh (Cardiff).

The Aegon leagues involve singles and doubles matches for teams of four players with all results contributing to the LTA’s and Tennis Wales’s national targets for competitive tennis.

All players have to be members of British Tennis, the largest sports membership body in the UK, and teams frequently include County players at all ages.

The up-to-date progress of all teams can be seen on the new Tennis Wales website www.tennis.wales.org as teams now record their results online.

Also, across South Wales some 20 clubs are running the popular HSBC Road to Wimbledon event for boys and girls aged 14 and under. The club winners and runners-up progress to the County finals and the County winners will have a week of play on the grass courts at Wimbledon in August.

Information on the awards and the dinner is available from Tennis Wales at 029 20 463335 or www.tenniswales.org.uk