THE BACK PAGE Team tennis series has the perfect mix

World Team Tennis comes to Scotland for the first time this weekend when the Stirling Bravehearts take on the West of Scotland Wolves at Andy Murray’s Cromlix Hotel.

Judy Murray (pictured) has brought the format to Cromlix after working with Billie Jean King’s Philadelphia Freedoms last summer.

She said“I love team competition and I love that WTT is mixed teams.

“The format is great for both players and fans. It’s fast, furious and noisy and involves singles, doubles and mixed.

“Our Scottish club league season has been cancelled this year due to the virus so I’m trying to showcase an alternative that could operate through the autumn because you only need one court for the match”.

On Sunday, some of Scotland’s top juniors will be in action playing singles, doubles and mixed doubles in teams of two boys and two girls.

There are five matches and each rubber is first to win five games with a tie break to five points if tied at 4-4. There is“sudden death point”at deuce.

The winning team is the one who accumulates the most games.

Captains sit on court and can call two time outs per rubber. Players change ends every two games and music is played at changeovers with 10 minutes maximum break between rubbers.

On Saturday, July 25, seniors will be on court and will feature some of Scotland’s top players including Ali Collins, the Scottish women’s No 2.

Play starts at 2pm and matches are umpired. The event is closed to invited teams and their guests plus organisers in line with physical distancing guidelines.

Representing the Stirling Bravehearts on Sunday will be Anna Sterk, Eilidh

Davidson, Euan Mackenzie and Marcus McLaren, captained by Adam Brown.